PREFERENCE STUDY OF LOCALLY PRODUCED OF MULTI-MINERAL BLOCKS FOR SMALL RUMINANTS IN SEMI ARID REGION OF BORNO STATE

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the preference and performance of small ruminants, particularly Yankasa rams, fed with different formulations of locally produced multi-mineral blocks in the semi-arid region of Borno State. Locally available mineral sources—including bone meal, eggshell, potash, wood ash, common salt, and Parkia biglobosa pulp—were collected, processed, analyzed, and used to formulate six mineral block treatments. The chemical composition of the ingredients and the final blocks was determined using standard AOAC methods. Six Yankasa rams were allocated to treatments using a Completely Randomized Design, and intake, growth performance, and feed conversion ratio were monitored for 12 days.Results revealed that the formulated mineral blocks significantly improved final live weight, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio compared to the control diet without mineral block supplementation. Among the formulations, F3 (containing 15% bone meal, 15% eggshell, 15% potash, 15% wood ash, 2% salt, and 19% Parkia pulp) produced the best overall performance, showing superior mineral composition, palatability, and growth response. The study concludes that locally produced mineral blocks are practical, cost-effective and capable of improving nutrient intake and productivity of sheep, especially during the dry season when forage quality is low. It is recommended that farmers in semi-arid zones adopt F3 formulation, while further studies should explore its application across other ruminant species.