FEED INTAKE, DIGESTIBILITY, BODY WEIGHT GAIN AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF INTACT MALE BORENA GOATS SUPPLEMENTED WITH THREE BROWSE SPECIES MIXED WITH WHEAT BRAN

The experiment was conducted at Yabello Pastoral and Dry land Agriculture Research Center with the objectives to evaluate the effect of supplementation of browse species mixed with wheat bran on feed intakes, digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics of Borena goats fed a basal diet of native pasture hay, and to identify the economic feasibility. The experiment was conducted using Twenty five (25) intact male yearling Borena goats with an average live weight of 15.22Kg. The experimental design was randomized complete block design consisting five treatments each with five replications. Experimental goats were blocked into five blocks of five goats based on their initial body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to one of the five treatment diets within a block. Goats were acclimatized to the treatment feeds for fifteen days. The experiment consisted of 90 days of feeding trial and 10 days of digestibility trial followed by evaluation of carcass parameters at the end of the digestion trial. The five dietary supplement treatments were T1= (63:37percentage) wheat bran (WB) and noug seed cake (NSC). T2=50% of ATP (Acacia tortil pod) + 50% of wheat bran, T3=50% of AN (Acacia nilotica leaf) + 50% of wheat bran T4=50% of ABL (Acacia brevispica leaf) + 50% of wheat bran. T5=50% MBS (mixture of three browses species) + 50% wheat bran. Basal diet of native pasture hay was offered ad libitum for each experimental animal. The CP content of native pasture grass hay, NSC, WB, ATP, AN, AB were 6.44, 26, 19.19, 17, 16 and 19%, respectively. Total dry matter intake (g/day) for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 was 722.92, 698.98, 689.01, 658.90 and 646.34 respectively being significantly lower for T5. Crude protein intake of the treatment diet was 101.13 (T1), 88.2 (T2), 85.98, 87.64 (T4) and 85.94 (T5), respectively. Digestibility of dry matter (DM), ADF and ND, were not significant different (p>0.05). Significance difference in apparent digestibility of crude protein and organic matter (DM) among the treatments were observed. The mean values of the average daily weight gains (ADWG) were 76.2, 66.02,63, 62.2 and 59.71 for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. The feed conversion efficiency was not significant (P>0.05) between the treatments. Hot carcass weight recorded were 9.67 (T1), 9.52 (T2), 9.15(T3), 9.10 (T4) and 8.60 (T5), respectively. Dressing percentage based on empty body weight for (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 was 55.10, 53.92, 54.84, 54.17 and 54.20% respectively and slaughter body weight for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 was 44.9, 43.66, 44.90, 43.95 and 43.87) and rib eye muscle areas were not significant (P>0.05) among the dietary treatments. The highest net return (NR) was recorded in T2 (156.39ETB/head and T4 (145.34ETB), respectively. T1 was lowest net return due to high variable cost as compared to other treatment. Consequently marginal rate of return followed net return of the treatment. Supplementation of browses species mixed with wheat bran resulted in higher net return and marginal rate of return as compared to concentrate supplement. Generally, the present study indicated that supplementation of browses speices mixed with wheat bran had positive effect on performance of goat and economically viable.