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The nutritional potential of molasses ensiled Moringa oleifera, Gliricidia sepium and Leucaena leucocephala as additives were compared by feeding them to twenty-four yearling Yankasa rams for twelve weeks. The rams were assigned randomly to four treatments. The feed intake, feed conversion ratio, body weight changes and nutrient digestibility as influenced by the four dietary treatments were evaluated. The mean weight gain of rams fed Giliricidia sepium ensiled with cassava peels (2.4kg), Leucaena leucocephaala ensiled with cassava peels (2.2kg) and Moringa oleifera ensiled with cassava peels (2.1kg) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those fed control diet of ensiled cassava peels only (1.8kg). Rams fed diet of cassava peels ensiled only had the least feed conversion ratio of 13.35 while rams fed supplemental Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Moringa oleifera ensiled with cassava peels had feed conversion ratio of 10.35, 11.29 and 12.0 respectively. The highest feed conversion ratio was observed in rams fed supplemental Gliricidia sepium ensiled with cassava peels (10.35). The nitrogen balance values for rams on treatments CP+ GS (4.29g day-1 ), CP +LL (4.02g day-1) and CP+MO (3.64g day-1) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those rams on control diet of ensiled cassava peels only. Rams on treatment CP+GS (54.1g day-1),CP+LL (50.4g day-1) and CP+MO(47.9g day-1 )had significant (P<0.05) higher values of N-retention than those rams on control treatment( 36.1g day-1). The nutrient digestibility of dry matter (61.83%), crude protein (60.73%), ether extract (60.73%), nitrogen free extract (68.0%) and crude fibre (63.70%) of rams on control diet were consistently lower (P<0.05) than those rams fed supplemental Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Moringa oleifera ensiled materials. Rams fed Giliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Moringa oleifera ensiled cassava peels had better feed intake, rumen digestion and growth performance compared to rams fed control diet of ensiled cassava peels only.
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