Feeding value of forages for meat goats in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Chi-Cheng Wang, 王啟承
• Other Authors: 范揚廣
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/43423033303656563421

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 動物科學系所 === 97 === 捌、英文摘要 The purposes of this study were to use growth performance, nutrient utilization and feed cost to establish indexes for estimating feeding values of different forages fed to Taiwan meat goats. In experiment 1, random complete block design was used with two replicates regarded as blocks. Eight Taiwan meat goats were randomly distributed to eight treatments. The experiment lasted for 14 d including 7 d for ration adaptation and 7 d for sample collection. Eight treatments were combinations of four forages, i.e., corn silage (CS), burmuda hay (BH), alfalfa pellet (AP) and bagasse with 2 feeding levels. Results showed that growth performance of Taiwan meat goat and nutrient utilization by the goats were significantly different among the forages. Corn silage fed ad libitum had the greatest feeding value. In experiment 2, eight Taiwan meat goats were randomly distributed to eight individual cages for 4 dietary treatments. The experiment lasted for 14 d including 7 d for ration adaptation and 7 d for sample collection. The treatments were four forage to concentrate ratios, i.e., 30:70 (30F), 50:50 (50F), 70:30 (70F) and 100:0 (100F). The forages had been thus measured including CS, BH, AP and pangola hay (PH). The purposes of this experiment were to find out the optimal ratio for the greatest feeding value. A corn-alfalfa index was constructed by using digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrient contents of the two forages. The results showed that burmuda hay or corn siglage at ratios of 30F and 50F fed to goats had higher feeding values than those at other ratios. Alfalfa pellet and pangola hay at ratio of 30F fed to goats were the highest in feeding value. In experiment 3, complete random design was used with 8 Taiwan meat goats randomly distributed to 4 treatments which were comprised with 4 forages, i.e., BH (10.3 NT$/kg DM), CS (12.3 NT$/kg DM), PH (8.51 NT$/kg DM) and AP (17.3 NT$/kg DM) at the ratio of forage to concentrate as 50:50 on DM basis. The experiment lasted for 21 d including 14 d for ration adaptation and 7 d for sample collection. The results showed that average daily gain, feed efficiency and feed intake were not significantly different among goats fed with different forages. Comparing with the other forages, corn silage was the highest in total digestible nutrient content. Corn silage fed to goats resulted in the lowest dietary cost for weight gain (NT$/kg gain). In conclusion, when concentrate is 19.2 NT$/kg DM and ratio of forage to concentrate at 50:50, corn silage is the greatest in feeding value among the forages tested. According to the corn-alfalfa index thus constracted, corn silage, alfalfa pellet and pangola hay are valuable to use for feeding goats, burmuda hay, however, is not unless its lower than 10.2 NT$/kg DM. Key Word: Goat, Feeding value, Forage