Nutritive evaluation of complete ration for growth in kids

Abstract

An attempt has been made to evaluate the effect of complete ration containing unconventional ingredients on growth and nutrient utilization in kids. Three complete pelleted rations were prepared consisting of a control ration (CR I) containing guinea grass and conventional ingredients, experimental rations eR II and CR III containing crop residues and agroindustrial byproducts such as tapioca leaves plus tea waste and gliricidia leaves plus tea waste respectively (75 :25) at 60 per cent level. Eighteen Malabari kids of 4 - 5 months of age with an average body weight of 9.27 Kg distributed into three groups of six animals each as uniformly as possible with regard to age, sex and weight and were fed individually with three complete rations over a period of 120 days. The results indicated that the incorporation of unconventional feed ingredients even to the extent of 60 per cent did not affect the growth performance of animals as the total weight gain and average daily gain recorded as 7.0~Kg and 62.6 g/day for the control and 6.65 Kg and 59.37 g/day for experimental ration CR Il and 5.96 Kg and 53.11 g/day for ration CR Ill. The efficiency of feed and protein utilization also exhibited the same trend. Cost efficiency for ration CR Il containing tapioca leaves plus tea waste as major

part as well as for ration CR III containing ghricidia leaves plus tea waste as major part comes to around Rs.59.16 per Kg gain and Rs.60.43 per Kg gain respectively, as against Rs.69.54 per Kg gain for control ration CR l. The hematological studies revealed that TE.C., TL.C., Haemoglobin, Plasma protein, serum calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were within normal range prescribed for the species. The animals maintained on the three rations did not show any significant difference between groups for these parameters. Digestibility studies revealed a significant difference (P>O.Ol) in all the parameters between groups, while the kids maintained on control ration CR I recorded highest digestibility of drymatter, crude protein, ether extract and nitrogen free extract, the kids maintained on ration CR III recorded maximum fibre digestibility. On fibre fractions, ration Clc II recorded the lowest digestibility (P>O.Ol) in neutral detergent fibre and there was no difference in acid detergent fibre digestibilty. The results show that incorporation of agroindustrial byproducts in the complete ration for kids influencgfthe digestibility of nutrients. "- The results on balance experiment showed no significant difference (Pbetween the groups with regard to per cent retention of nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Overall assessment of the results showed that incorporation of agroindustrial byproducts even upto the extent of 60 per cent in the complete ration of goats did

not have any significant effect on production parameters and animals maintained on ration CR II containing tapioca leaves plus tea waste as major part did show similar performance and efficiency compared to that of control ration and though not significant, slightly lower biological efficiency was exhibited by ration CR III .on performance of the animals.