Authors: Sowande, O.S. and A.B.J. Aina
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SUMMARY
Twelve female West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were used in an 8 weeks feeding trial to investigate magnesium nitrate as a dietary additive in goats’ nutrition. Four treatment levels (0, 0.5,1.0 and 1.5 p.100) of magnesium nitrate were used to obtain four diets containing 0.21, 0.32, 0.45 and 0.65 p.100 magnesium. Results indicated that animals on diet 4, though consumed the lowest dry matter (0.282 kgDM/day), promoted the best average daily gain (39.00 g/d), feed conversion ratio (8.28), serum magnesium (3.10 mg/100ml) and magnesium retention (0.160 g/kgBW). The performance and magnesium retention of goats on other diets were significantly lower. Magnesium nitrate can therefore, be used up to 1.5 p.100 0f diets to increase magnesium intake, without any adverse effect, for a better performance in WAD goats.