EFFECT OF NPK 15:15:15 RATES ON FORAGE YIELD, QUALITY OF Brachiaria ruziziensis AND PERFORMANCE OF YANKASA RAMS FED Brachiaria: Concentrate RATION

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of varying NPK 15;15:15 levels on the forage yield and quality of Brachiaria ruziziensis and performance of Yankasa rams fed different ration of the forage and Concentrate in a total mixed ratioin the Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. The experiment was laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a 4×3 factorial arrangement comprising of four rates (0,20,40 and 60 kg/ha) of NPK 15:15:15 replicated three times and age of harvest were 10,12 and 14weeks after sowing. The growth components showed that plant height (74.9 cm) and leaf length (33.3 cm) were significantly (P0.05) at different cutting intervals. It can be concluded from the result of this study that NPK 15:15:15 compound fertilizer rate 60 kg/ha on Brachiaria ruziziensis gave the better forage yield, Crude protein was higher when harvested at 12 weeks after sowing, mineral composition (Ca and P) was also optimum. Therefore, NPK 15:15:15 rate of 60 kg/ha is recommended for higherBrachiaria ruziziensis forage yield and nutrient composition for smallholder farmers and livestock owners. In the Second experiment a feeding trial which lasted for (12) weeks was carried out to determine feed intake, nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance of growing Yankasa rams fed different mixture of Brachiaria ruziziensis/concentrate in a total mixed ration. Sixteen healthy Yankasa rams with an average live weight of 21.75kg±1kg were randomly allocated to four treatments with four replicates in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment diets were ratio of Brachiaria ruziziensis to concentrate: (90:10), (80:20), (70:30) and (60:40)mixtures. Feed intake (57.19kg), Daily feed intake (635.48g/day), Average daily gain (61.11g/day), and feed conversion ratio (10.47) were significantly higher (P