Effect of supplementing weaner goats with graded levels of Calliandra calothyrsus and Lucerne (Medicago sativa) on feed intake and weight gain

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation with graded levels of two (2) protein-rich forages (PRFs), Calliandra calothyrsus and Lucerne (Medicago sativa) on nutrients intake and growth rate of dual-purpose weaner goats under two management systems [confined feeding (CF) and free-range (FR)]. Sixty (60), four (4) month old weaner goats (30 for each management system) were randomly allocated to 5 treatment diets with graded levels of Calliandra calothyrsus and Lucerne in a randomized complete block design. Composition of the 5 treatment diets as fed was as follows:- T1 (control) - Rhodes grass hay only or grazing only for CF or FR respectively, T2 and T3, 100 and 200 gd-1 of Calliandra calothyrsus respectively; T4 and T5, 100 and 200 gd-1 of Lucerne respectively.Feed intake was recorded daily, while the weaners were weighed weekly throughout the experimental period (8 months). The overall mean post-weaning average daily gain (post-ADG) (gd-1) and yearling live-weight (YWT) (kg) for all the weaners were 40.9 and 17.3 respectively. Weaners under FR system performed significantly (P<0.05) better in post-ADG and YWT than those under CF. The average post-ADG (gd-1) and YWT (kg) for the two systems were 46.8 and 19.4; and 34.9 and 15.2 respectively. Increase in level of supplementation significantly (P<0.05) increased OMI (gd-1) for both types of supplements under CF where this was assessed from 220, for the control to 351, 579, 317 and 484 for T2 to T5 respectively. Weaners on Calliandra had significantly (P<0.05) higher post-ADG and YWT than those on Lucerne based diets and the control. For CF, the respective values for post-ADG (gd-1) for T1 to T5 were, 17.4, 30.8, 56.8, 26.1 and 40.1. The respective values for FR were, 32.2, 46.1, 61.3, 41.1 and 50.0. The values for YWT (kg) for CF were 12.0, 14.6, 20.0, 12.8 and 16.3 for T1 to T5 respectively. For FR the respective values were 15.6, 19.6, 23.0, 17.3 and 21.4. At both levels of supplementation under both management systems weaners on Calliandra performed significantly (P<0.05) better than those on Lucerne based diets in post-ADG and YWT. Results from this study indicated that supplementation with PRFs improved weaner growth rate under both systems and that FR was superior to Rhodes grass hay offered under the CF system and Calliandra superior to Lucerne.