C.U. OSUHOR¹, J.P. ALAWA² and G.N. AKPA²

¹National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University
²Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

In a study carried out to determine the quantity and quality of overnight manure voided by Red Sokoto goats grazing native pasture and fed a concentrate supplement at NAPRI, Shika-Zaria, bucks and does produced 0.38 and 0.37 kg of manure per head per night, respectively, during the wet season. Corresponding values were 0.35 and 0.34 kg during the dry season.
Nutrient concentrations in the dry manure were: N – 2.8%; P – 0.42%; and K – 0.93%. An adult goat is capable of producing 138 kg dry manure per year which would contain 3.4 kg N, 0.5 kg P and 1.1 kg K. There is significant potential to reduce fertiliser costs for crop production by substituting goat manure for expensive inorganic fertiliser currently used. Field studies are warranted to demonstrate to farmers the financial benefits to be obtained.