Evaluation of on-farm goat fattening practice using cow pea hay with concentrate

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Das dinzaz kebele of Gumara Maksegnit watershed to evaluate fattening of 36 castrated goats at the age of one year and with initial weight of 28.2kg using cow pea hay and concentrate supplementation with different proportions. The treatments were browsing alone (T1), browsing +100% concentrate (T2), browsing +100% cow pea hay (T3), browsing+ 50% cow pea hay with 50% concentrate(T4), , browsing +25% cow pea hay with 75% concentrate (T5) and browsing+ 75% cow pea hay with 25% concentrate (T6) for a duration of 105 days. Each animal has free access to browsing and pure water. Average initial body weight (28.2 kg) was not different between feeding treatment groups. The mean final weight (Kg), total body weight gain (Kg) and average daily weight gain (g) obtained were 33.88±4.00, 5.65±1.19 and 62.87±13.24, respectively. Total body weight gain and average daily body weight gain were significantly different (p<0.05) between treatments. The group fed on browsing plus 75% concentrate supplement plus 25 % cow pea and browsing plus 100% concentrate had better final body weight, total body weight and average daily body weight gain. The groups fed on browsing plus 100 % concentrate and browsing plus 75% concentrate with 25% cow pea hay had higher daily feed conversion efficiency while those fed on other feed groups. The highest daily gain from treatment 5(T5)is related to a good nutrient balance available in the commercial concentrate supplement despite the relatively higher crude protein content supplemented with 25 % cow pea hay with 75 commercial concentrate. Average dry matter intake and feed conversion efficiency were calculated for indoor fed treatment groups (concentrate with cow pea hay fed treatments) only. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in average daily dry matter intake (DM) between the treatments. Increased supplementation of concentrate with cow pea hay forage increased total DM intake, that treatment groups fed on 75 cow pea hay, 25 concentrate and sole cow pea hay had higher DM intake than the other treatments but the average daily weight gain of the animal is higher for treatment 2 and treatment 5 that means goats fed on concentrate alone and 75% concentrate with 25% cow pea hay had better daily weight gain compared to the other treatments. Therefore based on the results treatment 5(75% concentrate with 25% cow pea hay) was recommended but as famers point of view T6 (25% concentrate with 75% cow pea hay) was preferred to reduce the concentrate level.