Ralston Sebastian Edward G

Influence of management systems on growth of Malabari goats - Mannuthy Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences 1997



An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of
. management systems on growth of Malabari goats. Thirty
Malabari kids aged three to four months of age were selected
randomly and allotted to three treatments. Kids under
treatment I were fed complete feed and managed intensively.
Animals under treatment II and III, were maintained under
Intensive and Semi-intensive systems. Animals maintained on
complete feed registered a better growth rate from second to
fourth month. Whereas animals in Semi-intensive system showed
a better final growth. Body weight was significantly
influenced by the period in all the treatments. Kids under
Semi-intensive system showed a better height and length,
whereas kid, under Intensive system showed a better girth
measurement. In morphometric observations females had a
significantly higher value compared to males. The body
measurements also showed a significant difference between
fortnights and it increased with age, in all three treatments.
The experimental period was divided into hot-dry and rainy
periods based on climatological observations. Physiological
norms like rectal temperature, heart rate and respiration rate
showed significantly higher rates in animals kept under
Semi-intensive system of management. A highly significant
difference in the diurnal observations in the physiological



norms were noted. But there was no sexual dimorphism in
physiological norms. There was no significant difference in
haemoglobin level between treatments and between seasons. The
goats fed on feed under Intensive management system showed a
better dressing percentage but there was no significant
difference in other carcass traits between treatments.


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