Intake, digestibility and nitrogen retention in goats fed ensiled maize stover and supplemented with snake bean (Bobgunnia madagascariensis) pod meal
Keywords:
Bobgunnia madascariensis, Goats, Ensiled Maize Stover, Pod Meal, Snake BeanAbstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess nutrient intake, digestibility and nitrogen (N) retention in goats fed ensiled maize stover (EMS) when supplemented with snake bean (Bobgunnia madascariensis) pod meal (BMM).
Materials and methods: Eight local goats (21±2 Kg) in individual metabolic cages were divided into two groups. One group received a 100 gm BMM daily supplement to basal diet (EMS+50 gm maize bran), while the other group did not receive any supplement. The experimental design was a 2x2 switchback with 7 days of adaptation and 5 days of sampling of orts, feces and urine. Feed intake was recorded and total fecal collection was done to analyze digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF), as well as N balance.
Results: Goats receiving BMM supplement had higher (P<0.05) intake and digestibility of the analyzed nutrients than the group without supplementation. BMM supplementation also significantly increased N intake and fecal N output, compared to those without supplementation. BMM-supplemented goats had significantly better N retention than those without supplementation.
Conclusion: Thus, supplementing BMM to goats fed EMS induced a higher (P<0.05) intake and digestibility of nutrients as well as better N retention.
Downloads
25
30
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).