Using Para Grass With Protein Leaves as Feed Supplement for Growing Goats

Abstract

The experiment was carried out in a Research Farm of Cantho University from July to October, 2011. Twelve weaned crossbred goats (Bachthao x local female) with an initial weight of 9.56 ± 1.29 kg and aged from 3 to 4 month were allocated to 4 treatments with 3 replicates per treatment and the trial period lasted 90 days. The four dietary treatments were LTDQ: 70% Para grass plus 30% Tithonia (DM basis); LTTG: 70% Para grass plus 30% Trichanthera (DM basis); DQDR: 70% Para grass plus 15% Tithonia and 15% Psophocarpus (DM basis); TGDR: 70% Para grass plus 15% Trichanthera and 15% Psophocarpus (DM basis). Live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio were determined. After 25, 55 and 85 days of experimental feeding, a metabolism trial of 5-day duration was conducted on goats from each group in cages with provision for quantitative collection of faeces. Samples of feed offered, residue, faeces were collected from the metabolic trial subjected to preliminary treatment and preserved for subsequent chemical analysis. There were improvements in intake, growth rate and digestibility when foliage of Trichanthera and Tithonia were mixed with that of from Psophocarpus Scandens.