PSI-10 Impact of protein or chloride source on Boer goat growth performance

Abstract

Abstract Limited research for least cost goat diets is available for meat goat producers. The objective of this project was to evaluate the impact of protein source or chloride source on Boer goat growth performance. Because diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric, it was hypothesized that the replacement of soybean meal (SBM) and ammonium choloride (AmCl) with alternative protein and Cl sources would reduce diet costs without impacting growth performance. To test this hypothesis, 75 Boer-influenced goats (23.5 ± 2.9 kg BW; approximately 75 d of age) were allocated to 5 treatments in a completely random design in a climate-controlled facility of the Kansas State University Sheep and Meat Goat Center. Goats were stratified by BW into 25 pens (5 pens/treatment; 3 goats/pen) for a 42 d finishing study. Diets included: 1) SBM with AmCl; 2) dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) with AmCl; 3) SoyPlus with AmCl; 4) SBM with SoyChlor; and 5) SoyPlus with SoyChlor. Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS with pen as the experimental unit. There were no detectable differences of dietary treatment on ADG, ADFI, or G:F (P > 0.05). Using a pre-planned contrast statement, it was revealed goats fed diets with AmCl had lower ADG than goats fed diets with SoyChlor (P = 0.013; 125 vs. 165 g/d, respectively). While growth performance was relatively similar, the ingredient costs varied, leading to differences in feed cost per goat (P < 0.0001; $19.60, $16.07, $18.03, $25.82, $23.14 for diets containing SBM with AmCl, DDGS with AmCl, SoyPlus with AmCl, SBM with SoyChlor, SoyPlus with SoyChlor, respectively). These results confirm the hypothesis that goats can have similar growth responses with lower feed costs, leaving producers with options for optimizing growth performance on a least cost basis.