Abstract
Feed intake, in vivo digestibility, and nitrogen balance of common oak ( Quercus calliprinos) browse and vetch hay were determined in two trials using native Mamber black goats. Vetch hay served as a control treatment for evaluating the methodological accuracy of the experimental system. Individual average intake was 63 and 94 g/day/kg (W 0.75), organic matter digestibility 46% and 61%, and the nitrogen balance (N retention as g/day/goat) was −0.6 and 4.9 for oak and vetch hay, respectively. Accordingly, Q. calliprinos, used as the sole feed for goats could supply the energy but not the protein requirements for maintenance. Intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance of the common oak were similar to values in studies of other oak species in the Mediterranean region, but deviated from data in studies in the USA. Possible reasons for this difference, such as different content of secondary compounds such as tannins, goat breed and duration of adaptive interactions between goats and plants, are discussed.
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