Supplementary feeding of lactating goats with processed and unprocessed Acacia tortilis pods and local grass in the dry season in northern Kenya

An on-farm feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of feeding processed (milled Acacia tortilis pods and chopped grass hay) and unprocessed (whole Acacia tortilis pods and long grass) dry season supplementary feeds on milk yield of goats, growth response of suckling kids and their economic effects. Twenty multiparous Small East African goats from one pastoral herd weighing 28.3±0.7 kg live weight were randomly divided into five groups of four animals each and assigned to one of five treatment diets. The treatment diets comprised of chopped mixed grass hay (chopped MGH), long mixed standing grass (long MSG), milled Acacia tortilis (milled ATP), whole Acacia tortilis (whole ATP) and control (no supplement). The results showed that daily intakes of chopped grass (309.5 g), whole ATP (413.1 g) were higher than long standing grass (165.4 g) and milled ATP (186.4 g). Of the supplement diets, whole Acacia tortilis was the most consumed (87.7%) followed by milled ATP (67.3%), chopped grass (51%), while long grass (40.4%) was the least. In five prescribed incubation periods, milled ATP and whole ATP were degraded faster, followed by chopped grass hay, while long grass was the least degraded. Supplementation increased (P 0.05) among the treatment groups. This study showed that processing by milling of Acacia tortilis pods improved digestibility, while chopping of grass hay increased intake. All supplementation provided net economic benefits, but processing only paid off for Acacia pods. Inclusion in the diet of good quality supplements such as mixed grass hay, milled and whole Acacia tortilis pods can alleviate nutritional constraints in the dry season, increase milk yield and sustain the body condition of pastoral goats in the arid rangelands.

[1]  D. Minson,et al.  Forage in Ruminant Nutrition , 2012 .

[2]  P. Mbugua,et al.  Mineral Status of Sheep and Goats Grazing in the Arid Rangelands of Northern Kenya , 2012 .

[3]  H. K. Mokoboki.  In sacco dry matter and crude protein degradation of woody plant species in Tswana and Boer goats , 2011 .

[4]  K. LebopaC.,et al.  IN SACCO DRY MATTER AND CRUDE PROTEIN DEGRADATION OF WOODY PLANT SPECIES IN TSWANA AND BOER GOATS , 2011 .

[5]  S. Abdulrazak,et al.  Chemical and mineral composition, in-vitro gas production, in-sacco degradation of selected indigenous Kenyan browses. , 2010 .

[6]  David A. W. A. M. Jansen,et al.  Optimisation or satiation, testing diet selection rules in goats , 2007 .

[7]  A. Degen,et al.  Sheep and goat milk in pastoral societies , 2007 .

[8]  Division on Earth,et al.  Nutrient requirements of small ruminants sheep, goats, and new world camelids, cervids , 2007 .

[9]  E. Pamo,et al.  Influence of supplementary feeding with multipurpose leguminous tree leaves on kid growth and milk production in the West African dwarf goat , 2006 .

[10]  O. Onifade,et al.  Assessment of preference and intake of browse species by Yankasa sheep at Shika, Nigeria , 2001 .

[11]  A. Aganga,et al.  Utilization of Sorghum Forage, Millet Forage, Veldt Grass and Buffel Grass by Tswana Sheep and Goats when Fed Lablab purpureus L. as Protein Supplement , 2000 .

[12]  T. Fujihara,et al.  Chemical composition, phenolic concentration and in vitro gas production characteristics of selected acacia fruits and leaves. , 2000 .

[13]  I. Hary.  Effects of seasonality on the productivity of pastoral goat herds in northern Kenya , 2000 .

[14]  I. Nsahlai,et al.  The potential of legume pods as supplements to low quality roughages , 2000 .

[15]  P. Udén,et al.  Promising tropical grasses and legumes as feed resources in Central Tanzania V. Effect of supplementing Cenchrus ciliaris hay with leaves from four legumes on intake and digestibility by growing Mpwapwa bulls , 1998 .

[16]  T. Adogla-Bessa.  FEED POTENTIAL OF ACACIA SPECIES TO RUMINANTS IN BOTSWANA , 1998 .

[17]  P. V. Soest,et al.  Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. , 1991, Journal of dairy science.

[18]  Bo Göhl.  Tropical feeds. Feed information summaries and nutritive values. , 1981 .

[19]  C. Mckell.  Multiple use of fodder trees and shrubs - a world wide perspective. , 1980 .

[20]  D. C. Church,et al.  Feed preparation and processing. , 1980 .

[21]  F. Hovell,et al.  The use of the nylon bag technique for the evaluation of feedstuffs. , 1980 .

[22]  M. E. Castle,et al.  Silage and milk production: comparisons between grass silage of three different chop lengths , 1979 .

[23]  M. Vanbelle,et al.  The effect of silage chop length on the voluntary intake and rumination behaviour of sheep , 1978 .

[24]  D. Morgan.  Tropical Feeds , 1976 .

[25]  R. Beals.  National Research Council Research Am Fund , 1932 .