.

Fifty-six day experiment was conducted to estimate the dry matter, fibre fraction utilization and performance of West
African Dwarf (WAD) sheep fed sun-dried or fermented rumen digesta-poultry droppings mixed diets. Allocation of
animals with mean liveweight of 7.04 ± 3.50 kgW0.75 and between 9 - 12 months old was into four treatments of four
animals each. Four diets were formulated such that sun-dried rumen digesta (SRD) was not incorporated in control
diet (A) but included in diet B, while sun-dried rumen digesta-poultry droppings (SRDPD) and fermented rumen
digesta-poultry droppings (FRDPD) were included in diets C and D, all at 25% inclusion rate to replace cassava
peels respectively. Feed and water were offered to animals ad libitum at 8.00am every morning. Findings indicated
that DM, CP, CF, ADF and cellulose intake was influenced significantly (P<0.05) by inclusion of rumen digesta and
poultry droppings mixed meals in the diets and improved intake and utilization of fibre fractions perhaps due to
improved protein quality of diets B.C and D. Nutrients digestibility coefficients varied significantly (P<0.05), but the
values recorded for CF ranged from 30.78% (diet A) to 43.96% (diet C). Average daily body weight gain values did
not differ among treatments (P>0.05) however, nitrogen retention values were positive for all treatments indicated
that dietary fibre contents were well utilized by rumen microbes and there was enough microbial protein that met the
animals’ requirement for body growth and maintenance. Result of feed conversion to flesh favoured the animals fed
control diet, but any of the experimental diets could be fed to support the growth rate of the animals since inclusion
of rumen digesta and poultry droppings mixed meal at 25% to replace cassava peels was acceptable and tolerable to
the animals and there was no sign of ill health shown by the animals. Therefore processed rumen digesta and poultry
droppings for ruminant feeding will be a purposeful outlet for the wastes and will reduce environmental pollution