Studies on Tigernut-Ogi Incorporated into Basal Feed as a Potential Animal Growth Enhancer Using Wistar Albino Rats as Experimental Animal

This study investigated the effect of using tigernut-ogi incorporated into basal feed as a potential animal growth enhancer. Tigernut-ogi in the ratio 70:30 blended with basal feed (Top feed brand, growers mash) in the ratio 10:90, 30:70 and 50:50 was administered on G1A, G2A and G3A grouped rats orally infected with Escherichia coli as well as non-infected G1B, G2B and G3B grouped rats, respectively for 28 Days. Non-infected grouped rats fed 100% basal feed was the control. This animal feeding experiment revealed that Feed intake (FI) and Average daily feed consumption (ADFC) of the grouped rats reduced with increased proportion of tigernut-ogi incorporated into their feed ration. Meanwhile, increase in proportion of tigernut-ogi in the feed ration administered on both the infected and non-infected grouped rats resulted in slower increase in rat body weight than the control. Tigernut-ogi played a significant role towards improvement of Feed efficiency ratio (FER), Feed conversion ratio (FCR), Specific growth rate (SGR) and Protein efficiency ratio (PER) of infected grouped rats whereas the quality of the feed ration (less quantity tigernut-ogi) positively influenced FER, FCR and SGR of non-infected grouped rats. Average weight gain (AWG) of the grouped rats was significantly affected by orally infecting the rats with Escherichia coli. Among the infected and non-infected grouped rats, G1A and G1B rat group recorded the highest body weight 233.86 g and 259.71 g, respectively whereas the control was 278.14 g. There was no significant difference between G2A and G2B grouped rats in terms of SGR and FER. In conclusion, tigernut-ogi incorporated into basal feed in the ratio 30:70 and 10:90 could suitably be used as growth enhancer in infected and non-infected rats, respectively.