African Journal of Agriculture

African Journal of Agriculture | Vol. 13, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 041–049

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJA/000739

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Nutrient Digestion, Rumen Fermentation Parameters, and Growth Performance of West African Dwarf Goats Fed Agro-Industrial By-Products

Names of Authors: Tunde O. Olajide¹, Segun L. Adeniyi¹, Chinedu P. Okafor²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; ²Department of Animal Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

Abstract: High feed prices remain a fundamental barrier to profitable small ruminant production in West Africa. Substituting conventional grains with locally abundant agro-industrial by-products can lower costs while preserving animal performance. This 90-day feeding trial investigated the effects of substituting maize with varying levels of a combined agro-byproduct blend (palm kernel cake, brewers’ dried grains, and cassava peels) on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and growth in West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Twenty WAD bucks, weighing an average of 8.5 ± 0.4 kg, were assigned to four dietary treatments: T1 (0% byproduct blend control), T2 (25% blend substitution), T3 (50% blend substitution), and T4 (75% blend substitution). Apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) were high across all groups, with T3 achieving peak values of 74.2% and 72.8% respectively. Rumen liquor analysis showed that total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) increased significantly in T3 (92.4 mmol/L) compared to T1 (81.5 mmol/L; p < 0.05), indicating highly efficient microbial fermentation. Average daily weight gain was maximized in the 50% substitution group T3 (54.6 g/day) compared to the control T1 (46.2 g/day). Crucially, feed cost per kilogram of live weight gain dropped by 31.5% in the T3 group. This study confirms that replacing 50% of conventional grain inputs with this agro-industrial blend enhances growth performance and lowers production costs for goat farmers.

Keywords: West African Dwarf goat, Agro-industrial byproducts, Nutrient digestibility, Rumen fermentation, Live weight gain, Cost reduction

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 02, 2026; Revised: May 12, 2026; Accepted: June 08, 2026; Published: August 02, 2026

Citation: Olajide, T. O., Adeniyi, S. L., & Okafor, C. P. (2026). Nutrient Digestion, Rumen Fermentation Parameters, and Growth Performance of West African Dwarf Goats Fed Agro-Industrial By-Products. African Journal of Agriculture, 13(8), 041–049. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJA/000739

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