Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of spineless cactus incorporation in food of dairy goats and growing kids on milk production and composition and on kid's growth and meat characteristics. Two experiments were conducted on Tunisian local goats. In the first, 30 females were divided into two groups; goats of Control group were reared on grazing pasture receiving indoor 0.5 kg of hay and 0.4 kg of concentrate. Goats for the second group (Cac-FL) were kept in feedlot and fed cactus ad libitum more 0.5 kg of hay and 0.4 kg of concentrate. In the second experiment, 14 kids were divided into 2 groups receiving 600 g of hay. The Control group received ad libitum a concentrate containing 130 g crude protein (CP) per kg of dry matter. The second group received cactus ad-libitum plus the half concentrate quantity of control one with 260 g CP/kg DM (Cactus). The daily milk production averaged 485 ml for Control group and 407 ml for Cac-FL one. The milk fat content was significantly higher for Control than Cac-FL group. In the second experiment, animals in Control and Cactus groups had similar growth rate. Carcass fat was significantly lower in Cactus than in the Control group. Cactus in the diet was associated with more C18:2 and conjugated linoleic acid as well as a higher proportion of PUFA than Control ones.
Highlights
The arid and semiarid areas are characterized by limited food resources, and the production of green fodder is rare, during the hot and dry season when the animals are strongly complemented by food concentrate [1]
The spineless cactus or prickly peartree (Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis), which is useful for ground conservation and reduction of streaming, is widely cultivated and could be used as green fodder in all seasons
Goats for Control group were reared on grazing pasture during 6 hours per day and received indoor per head and day 0.5 kg of oat hay and 0.4 kg of concentrate (180 g crude protein (CP) per kg dry matter (DM))
Summary
The arid and semiarid areas are characterized by limited food resources, and the production of green fodder is rare, during the hot and dry season (summer) when the animals are strongly complemented by food concentrate [1]. To face these critical periods, the search for other natural resources is needed to better sustain the dairy production and the growth of the young animals and to preserve breeding continuity. The objective of this work is to study the production and the composition of the nursing goat’s milk eating cactus in comparison with the production on pasture of the natural range and its effects on kid’s growth and meat characteristics
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