ESTABLISHING OPTIMAL NUTRIENT LEVELS FOR IMPROVED LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION AND HEALTH: AN EQUIVALENCE MULTI-SPECIES COMPARISON STUDY

Abstract

The profitability and effectiveness of livestock production systems largely rely on the sufficiency of nutrition delivered to the animals. In spite of generalized nutrient guidelines, there is high interspecies variation and existing conditions of production that frequently lead to less-than-satisfactory standards, especially in low-resource environments such as in Nigeria. The research in this study was designed to establish ideal nutrient requirements to promote improved health, growth, and breeding performance in the three large livestock species: Bos taurus (cattle), Capra hircus (goats), and Gallus gallus domestics (broiler chickens). A mixed-methods protocol involved a systematic review of international and local nutrient standards supported by a 12-week controlled feeding trial at a certified animal research institute in Ibadan, Nigeria. The animals were allocated into three dietary treatment regimes: Control (conventional feed), Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) according to FAO/WHO recommendations, and Enhanced Nutrient Intake (ENI), which included a 10–15% boost in proteins, major vitamins, minerals such as selenium and phosphorus, and energy levels. Major performance indicators recorded were average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality, immune status (such as leukocyte count), and reproductive efficiency. The outcomes indicated statistically significant and evident higher health and productivity performance by the animals on improved diets. ENI group broilers were growing 2.4 kg in six weeks with the highest FCR (1.65), while goats and cattle from the same group also had better ADG (130 g/day and 0.85 kg/day, respectively) and improved reproductive performances compared with the control and RNI groups. Interestingly, there existed a very high positive correlation between the intake of dietary protein and weight increase (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) and selenium supplement and the improvement of fertility (r = 0.67, p = 0.03), which reflects the significance of micronutrient balancing above the use of generic formulas. These results suggest the insufficiency of universally accepted feeding norms for diverse ecological and management conditions and justify the need for species-specific, site-specific nutrition programs. The experiment verifies that individualization of nutrient supplements has a profound effect on animal welfare, productivity, and profitability, particularly in tropical farming systems.