Feed Utilization of Lactating Does and Pre-weaning Performances of Kids in Republic of Benin

Abstract

This trial aims at finding out the effect of supplementing the lactating does basic diet (palm frond, with mucuna seed and cotton seed these seeds and a locally made mineral lick on the pre-weaning performances of the kids. Lactating does that kidded in each treatment were used in the experiment which was conducted in farm conditions. The lactating goats was divided into six groups of 5 to 6 animals per groups. The treatments as six different diets: T1 was the control, (palm frond) which is the feed usually offered by the farmers. The experimental diets were T2, T3; T4, T5, T6; with were the control plus the seeds and the mineral lick (T1). The does and the kids were weighed monthly during the pre-weaning stage of the kids (0 to 90 day). The means of growth rate and of weight at weaning were estimated per treatment using individual performance of the animals in each treatment. The seeds improvement on dry matter intake, digestible dry matter and crude protein intake by the lactating does was significant (P<0.05). A non-significant increase was observed with the salt lick in T2, T4 and T6. The seeds improvement on growth rate of lactating does was highly significant (P<0.05). The growth rate of kids sucking milk from does fed the seeds improved significantly (P<0.5). The mortality rate was lower (10% to 13%) in treatments with the seed plus salt lick. The mortality rate decreased slightly with the salt lick in T2, T4 and T6.