Abstract
ABSTRACTThis study aimed to investigate the effects of tanniniferous Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion level on performance of goats fed on a Setaria verticillata grass hay-based diet. Twenty indigenous male Pedi goats with an average initial live weight of 17.44 ± 2 kg were allocated, in a completely randomized design, to five dietary treatments containing Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion levels of 20%, 25%, 30%, 40% and 50% of the total diet. Daily dry matter intakes were similar (P > .05) across the treatments. Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion improved (P < .05) dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibility coefficients. Dietary treatments had no effect on final live weights of goats. However, live weight gains were higher (P < .05) in goats fed a diet containing 50% Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion level. Dry matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre digestibility coefficients were optimized at Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion levels of 69.4%, 48.3% and 42.7%, respectively. Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion improved nutrient digestibility and live weight gain of the goats and thus has potential to be utilized as a protein supplement when low-quality roughage is used as a basal diet.
Highlights
Goats play multiple roles in the livelihood of households of South Africa (Ngambi et al 2013)
This study aimed to investigate the effects of tanniniferous Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion level on performance of goats fed on a Setaria verticillata grass hay-based diet
A mixture of 80% Setaria verticillata hay and 20% Acacia karroo leaves A mixture of 75% Setaria verticillata hay and 25% Acacia karroo leaves A mixture of 70% Setaria verticillata hay and 30% Acacia karroo leaves A mixture of 60% Setaria verticillata hay and 40% Acacia karroo leaves A mixture of 50% Setaria verticillata hay and 50% Acacia karroo leaves
Summary
Goats play multiple roles in the livelihood of households of South Africa (Ngambi et al 2013). They provide benefits in the form of meat, milk, manure, hide and skins, and cash (Peacock 2005). The productivity of these goats is constrained by shortage of good-quality feed, especially during the long dry season. Earlier studies have shown that Pedi goats loss body weight and condition during the dry season (Ravhuhali et al 2011). There is a need to identify more nutritious feed to alleviate the prevailing nutritional problems of indigenous goats in the communal areas during the dry season
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