Partial replacement of maize meal with high-tannin sorghum meal affects finishing and methane emissions of Pedi goats

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of replacing maize meal with Sorghum vulgare meal, a high-tannin sorghum meal, in fattening diets on bodyweight and methane emissions by yearling male Pedi goats. A total of 12 yearling male Pedi goats with an average initial liveweight of 14 ± 1 kg were randomly assigned to a complete randomized design with four treatments, which were formulated such that 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% of the maize meal was replaced with Sorghum vulgare meal. The experiment was conducted over 28 days, with 21 days adaptation, followed by seven days for sample collection. Replacing maize meal with sorghum did not produce detectable (P >0.05) effects on bodyweight and live weight gain. The various replacement levels of sorghum meal had no detectable effects on the blood cell profile of Pedi goats either. However, they reduced methane emission and improved feed conversion ratio (P <0.05), which allowed for an approximation of the feed required by growing goats. These findings may assist farmers in selecting and utilizing the right feeds to maximize profitability in the small-stock farming sector.