Oxidative status of growing West African dwarf goat kids fed diets containing different nutrient density

Abstract

Nutritional manipulation is the best option against parasitic infection in ruminants, as it has no residual effect on the animal. Nutrition improves the resilience and resistance of the infected animals and eliminates the resultant clinical anaemia. Twenty-four growing intensively raised West African dwarf (WAD) goats (10.2 + 0.78) were used to assess the effect of incremental levels of protein and energy on the performance characteristics and oxidative status of the WAD goats. The animals were individually housed and allotted to diets containing varying levels of crude protein and energy levels: high-energy high-protein (HH), medium-energy medium-protein (MM) and low-energy low-protein (LL) diets in a completely randomised design. Data were collected for changes in weight gain, haematogical and serum constituents, oxidative stress biomarkers and faecal egg count. Higher levels of energy and protein in the diets increased (P < 0.05) metabolic weight gain (kgBW^0.75) and average daily gain (g/day). Increased levels of crude protein and energy significantly (P < 0.05) increased packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count of the goats. Thiol concentration was increased (P < 0.05) with increased level of protein and energy in the diets. The observed reductions in egg per gram of the faeces were similar among the treatment groups. Therefore, increased levels of protein and energy in the diets improve the dry matter intake and daily weight gain with increased erythrocyte count and antioxidant status (through increased thiol concentration) in goats fed MM and HH diets.