Evaluation of Performance of Growing Dairy Goats Fed Rhodes Grass Hay, Supplemented with Dried Calliandra Leaves and Common Vetch Hay

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of growing dairy goats in two experiments. Experiment one determined the effect of supplementing Rhodes grass hay with dried Calliandra calothyrsus leaves and common Vetch hay on voluntary feed intake, live weight gain and average daily gain of weaned dairy goats. Twelve (12) cross-bred (Toggenburg x Small East Africa goat) weaned male goats aged between three and four months were used. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four blocks based on live weight and three dietary treatments were used comprising of; T1: Rhodes grass hay alone (Basal diet) as the control, T2: 30% Calliandra + Basal diet, T3: 30% Vetch + Basal diet. The animals were confined in individual pens. Clean water and complete mineral lick were availed ad libitum. The initial 10 days were allowed for adaptation to the diets and then data collected for 8 weeks. The intake of both the basal and supplement for each animal was recorded daily. Each goat was weighed weekly and live weight recorded. The results indicate total DMI was significantly different (P˂0.05) for the supplemented goats compared to those fed on the control, recording 290.44 g/d, 492.31 g and 527.25 g for T1,T2 and T3 respectively, but was not significantly different (P˃0.05) for the supplemented goats (i.e. T2, T3). Un-supplemented goats lost weight (-1.09 Kg) and had a negative daily gain (-19.46 g/day). Though the goats in T2 had the highest TLWT gain (3.41 Kg) and ADG (60.9 g/day) followed by those in T3 (2.86 Kg TLWT; ADG 51.12g/day) the difference was not significant (P˃0.05). Experiment two determined the effect of supplementing Rhodes grass hay with mixed diets of dried Calliandra leaves and common vetch hay on growing dairy goat’s performance. The same goats in Experiment 1 were used but aged between six and seven months under a similar experimental design. The four dietary treatments were as follows: T1: Rhodes grass hay alone (control), T2: 30% supplement (75% Calliandra + 25% Vetch) + Basal diet, T3: 30% Supplement (50% Calliandra + 50% Vetch) + Basal diet and T4: 30% Supplement (25% Calliandra + 75% Vetch) + Basal diet. Goats in T3 had the highest total DM intake (816.5 g/day) compared to an intake of 424 g/day for those in T1. Supplementation significantly (P˂0.05) increased the TLWT from 0.6 Kg to 5 kg, 4.3 Kg and 3.7 Kg for goats in T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. It was concluded that supplementing Rhodes grass hay with dried Calliandra calothyrsus leave and common vetch (Vicia sativa) hay on growing dairy goats improved voluntary feed intake, increased total live weight gain and average daily gain.