Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
content make unripe banana fruits a suitable feed for goats
that appears similar to barley but with lower protein
content. Seed harvested cowpea vines are low-quality
forage that can be improved by ensiling (Solaiman, 2007),
and poultry waste has also been used as feed for goats in
some regions of the world. Replacing alfalfa meal with
broiler litter at 25% of the dietary DM in a total mixed
ration reduced dry matter digestibility in goats but still
yielded an acceptable diet (Bartlett, 1989; Table 10.5)
while reducing diet cost. Whole cottonseed is high in
energy and protein; fed at up to 15% of dietary DM, it
improved average daily gain with no adverse effect on
reproductive performance of goats (Solaiman et al., 2009).
The distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a by-
product of the ethanol industry, can be successfully used
in the diet of growing goats (Gurung et al., 2009; Table
10.6). This is a unique feedstuff providing protein, energy,
highly digestible fi ber, and minerals to goats.
Mineral and Vitamin Supplements
Minimum requirements of minerals and vitamins must be
provided for optimum goat performance, but the need for
supplements will vary with composition of diet ingredi-
ents. Mineral supplements can be as simple as salt alone
or may be a complex mix consisting of several macro and
trace elements plus vitamins provided free choice in the
form of either a loose mixture or a block. Some mineral/
vitamin mixtures can be included in a total grain mix to be
fed as part of a totally mixed ration (TMR). Generally
calcium, phosphorus, and sodium are supplemented to
diets for goats, but the need for each will differ with the
diet ingredients being fed. Normally, calcium is present at
adequate levels in most forage for gazing ruminants, but
salt (or some source of sodium) must be supplemented.
Phosphorus may be defi cient in forage at certain times of
the year, and a phosphorus defi ciency can reduce reproduc-
tive performance. If grass tetany is a regional problem with
forage, seasonal supplementation with magnesium may be
necessary. In early spring or when animals are consuming
fresh green and rapidly growing pastures fertilized with N,
P, and K, high levels of potassium and nitrogen with low
levels of magnesium and salt may lower the ratio of mag-
nesium : potassium and provoke grass tetany. Trace miner-
alized salt provides a mixture of micro minerals, and
vitamins A and E are supplemented in vitamin premixes.
Soils in many areas of the U.S. are defi cient in copper,
so feeds produced in those areas also will be defi cient in
copper. Adding a mineral supplement to the diet that has
Table 10.5 Nutrient digestibility of diets with
broiler litter replacing alfalfa meal in total mixed
diets fed to goats.
Broiler Litter, % DM
Digestibility, %
0
12.5
25.0
SEM
Dry Matter
75.7 a
70.6 b
67.2 c
0.52
Crude Protein
71.6 a
64.1 b
59.1 c
0.92
Neutral Detergent Fiber
55.7 a
51.0 ab
48.2 b
1.48
Acid Detergent Fiber
48.1
49.8
45.1
1.65
Cellulose
54.2 b
53.5 b
60.2 a
1.37
Hemicellulose
65.2 a
52.2 b
52.6 b
4.11
Ash
46.9 a
22.2 b
18.7 b
4.25
abc Means with different superscripts differ ( P
<
0.05).
Source: Bartlett, 1989 .
Table 10.6 Average daily gain and dry matter intake of Kiko
Spanish crossbred growing male goat
kids fed different amount of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS).
×
Distillers dried grains with solubles, % DM
Item 1
0
10.3
20.6
31.0
Initial BW, kg
27.9 ± 0.94
29.8 ± ± 0.73
27.8 ± ± 0.82
29.5 ± ± 0.73
Final BW, kg
38.5 ± ± 1.63
39.8 ± ± 1.26
36.4 ± 1.42
38.3 ± 1.26
ADG, g/d
141.0 ± 18.4
134.1 ± 14.2
115 ± 16.0
117 ± 14.2
Total DMI, g/d
1,017 ± 87.3
1,138 ± 77.5
1,106 ± 93.1
1,003 ± 87.0
Concentrate, g/d
519 ± 41.9
591 ± 37.2
575 ± 44.7
520 ± 41.8
Hay, g/d
499
±
45.8
547
±
40.7
531
±
48.5
483
±
45.7
Gain:Feed
0.12
±
0.01
0.12
±
0.01
0.11
±
0.01
0.12
±
0.01
1 No differences were observed ( P
>
0.10).
Source: Gurung et al., 2009 .
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