EFFECT OF COMPOUNDED FEED ON BUNAJI CATTLE WEIGHT GAIN

Abstract

The study investigated the effectiveness of compounded feed on bunaji cattle weight gain. Quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test group was used. The population comprised of all Bunaji calves present at Gariki market. The researchers made use of purposive sampling techniques to select Bunaji (white fulani) cattle because of its superiority in resisting diseases and it is commonly sold at Gariki market Amansea in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State. Different Herders of Bunaji cattle were assigned to experimental and control groups. The number of Bunaji cattle in each herder group put together constituted the sample size. This is to maintain the intactness of the group. The researchers made use of focus groups like herders, veterinary doctors, farm record books, observation and hanging digital weighing scale for administering of instrument. Observations, farm record books and hanging digital weighing scale was used for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was determined using test-retest method outside the research sample area. The reliability index 0.78 were obtained. Data were analyzed using mean weight of each cattle at every intervals of 4weeks (one month) for 28 and 31 weeks (7months). The findings revealed among others that cattle in the experimental had more mean weight gain of 608.04 to cattle in control groups with mean weight gain of 52.73. Based on the findings, the study recommended that awareness creation to herders on the relevance of calves feeding on local feed for fast weight gain.