UTILIZATION OF PALM KERNEL MEAL BY SHEEP

Yankasa sheep were used to study effects of palm kernel meal (PKM) on nutrient utilization and performance of animals. The in sacco degradat ion studies revealed that potential protein degradation in the rumen w as high and the very low rate of degradation (0.031) made 50-61% prote in of PKM undegradable in the rumen. In experiment 1 (62 d), five isoc aloric and isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 20, 35, 50 and 65% PKM w ere fed to growing rams. In Experiment 2, four diets in which PKM subs tituted all the cotton seed cake (CSC) and 0, 33, 66 and 100% of maize in the diets were used The diets thus contained 0, 49, 70 and 90% PKM in treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4. In both experiments average daily gain ( ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion (FC) or DM digestibilit y was not significantly (P>0.01) affected Higher values of some carcas s characteristics in favour of PKM diets reflected higher weights at s laughter. Cost of the diets decreased with increasing level of PKM; ma king it economically attractive to use PKM in the diet of sheep.