Blood Profile and Reproductive Performance of Pregnant West African Dwarf Ewes Fed Rumen Epithelial Scrapings-Based Diets

Abstract

Introduction Shortage of feed especially during the dry season is considered as one of the major problems of livestock farmers in developing countries. In Nigeria, the Northern farmers are predominantly cattle rearers who need regular supplies of forages; it is the practice of the cattle herdsmen to move towards the Southern part of the country where there is longer period of raining season with available pastures for their livestocks. In the course of such movement of livestocks, there are clashes between the herdsmen and crop farmers. Such clashes has aggravated division in the country, so much that open grazing was banned in certain parts of Nigeria and Ghana. Restraint of such livestocks in their natural environment with long period of drought with poor quality forages will further deplete their productivity. Tarawali et al (1983) reported that many animals died of starvation during the dry season due to limited availability of all year round feed resources and high cost of conventional feeds. Though grass and forage form greater proportions of ruminate feed Akinfemi, A.