Abstract
Forty eight nondescript breed of growing goat kids (6-9 months) were selected randomly on body weight basis and divided into three groups having four replicates (four animals in each replicate) to assessthe effect of urea-molasses mineral block (UMMB) and medicated-UMMB on their growth performance for 90 days. Group one (T1) was fed with roughage consisting of sola grasses (Aeschynomene indica L. ) and rhea leaves (Acacia leucophloea Roxb.) ad lib in equal proportion. The concentrate mixture (7 % DCP and 60 % TDN) ranging from 150 to 250g was fed to different kids depending on their body weight to meet protein and energy requirement. Group two (T2) was fed with the same roughage and concentrate mixture, in addition to ad lib supplementation of UMMB. Group three (T3) was fed with the same roughage and concentrate mixture, in addition to medicated-UMMB (Fenbendazole @ 0.5 g/kg feed block) ad lib for 10 days followed by un-medicated UMMB during rest of the trial period. The overall dry matter intake (499.38 g/day) and average body weight gain (54.23 g/day) of goat kids were the highest (p<0.01) when fed with feed mixture containing medicated-UMMB. The UMMB and M-UMMB can be incorporated in the conventional feeding practice of goat kids for their better growth and development.
Highlights
Goats in the villages are reared traditionally on a forage-based diets and the practice of supplementation is not common
The concentrate mixture given in addition to roughage to kids consisted of 25 % of de-oiled rice bran (DORB), 42 % of maize, 30 % of de-oiled soybean cake, 2 % of pre-mixes and 1 % of common salt
Findings of the present study differed from Tiwari et al (2011) who reported that there were no significant differences when the kids were supplemented with urea-molasses mineral block (UMMB) at 4 % of the body weight
Summary
Goats in the villages are reared traditionally on a forage-based diets and the practice of supplementation is not common. This traditional feeding system without supplementation is insufficient to satisfy the nutritional needs of the goats resulting in poor growth performance of the kids. In multiple litters of local breeds, low live weights at 90 days of age with wide variations from 5 to 10 kg per animal and high kid mortality rate of 16% during the first three months have been observed when goat kids were fed only with forage-based diets (Saddulet al., 1999). This study evaluated the impact of UMMB supplementation to forage-based diet improve growth of goat kids under a rural setting
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