Effect of Varying Concentrate Levels on Milk Yield and Composition of West African Dwarf Does Fed <i>Bambusa vulgaris</i> Leaves

Abstract

The effect of varying concentrate levels on milk yield and composition of West African Dwarf (WAD) does fed Bambusa vulgaris leaves as basal diet were evaluated in this study. Nine lactating WAD does in their 3rd to 4th parity nursing single kids were placed in three dietary regimens in a completely randomized design. Dams on Treatment 1 were fed forages at 7% body weight (BW) and concentrate at 0 % BW, dams on Treatment 2 received forages at 6% BW and concentrate at 1% BW, while dams on Treatment 3 received forages at 5% BW and concentrate diet at 2% BW. Ingredients used to formulate the concentrate diet were wheat offal, palm kernel cake, brewers’ dried grains, bone meal, vitamins/trace minerals, premix and salt. The result of proximate composition indicated that Bambusa vulgaris leaves contained 16.63% crude protein and 6.84% crude fibre. Milk yield was significantly (p<0.05) highest (220.74g) for dams fed concentrate at 1% body weight (Diet 2) and lowest (149.04 g) for dams fed the control diet (Diet 1) of forages only. Butterfat contents was significantly (p<0.05) highest (3.99%) in the milk of dams fed concentrate at 2% body weight (Diet 3), followed by (2.63%) the milk of dams fed concentrate at 1%, then by the milk of dams fed the control diet (2.60%). Feeding concentrate at 2% body weight significantly (p<0.05) affected Iron concentration (0.20 mg/100g). Thus, WAD does fed Bambusa vulgaris leaves basal diet should be fed concentrate at 1% BW for maximum milk yield and concentrate at 2% body weight if higher butter fat and optimal milk composition is desired.