Evaluation of complete rations for kids for meat production

Abstract

An investigation was carried out in Malabari kids of three to four months of age to study the influence of animal protein and monensin incorporated in complete pelleted concentrate type diet on the growth of animals. Thirty kids were divided into three equal groups, 1, 2 and 3, and fed on three pelleted complete rations, isocaloric and isoproteimic. Ration 2 incorporated meat cum bone meal and ration 3, fish meal at 5 percentage level replacing gingelly oil cake of ration 1 and fed to respective groups for a period of91 days. Animal protein inclusion did not show any significant positive influence on the growth of kids. No significant growth difference between the male and female animals of the three groups were observed. There was significant increase (Panimal protein, but had no positive influence on other body measurements. Significantly lower (Panimal protein containing diets, which can be attributed to palatability problems. The feed conversion efficiency and nitrogen balance values of kids were not influenced by animal protein inclusion. It also had no influence on digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre and nitrogen free extract of the diets.

Dressing percentage of kids slaughtered at six months of age in the three groups were almost similar. The gross profit that can be expected from animals of group 2 worked out to be Rs.357.90 compared to Rs.292.06 and Rs.286.20 per animal in group 1 and group 3 respectively for a period of 13 weeks. Histopathological study of the rumen tissues of all the three groups showed rumen papillae that were long and thickened with sparsely distributed keratin deposition indicating distinct parakeratosis, but no clinical symptoms of lactic acidosis were observed. It is possible to maintain kids of three to four months of age profitably on concentrate like complete feeds, supplemented with monensin and sodium bicarbonate for a period not exceeding 91 days.