Acacia Karroo Pods and Leaves as Major Feed for Fattening of Goats

Year 2021, , 464 - 469, 15.12.2021

Andrew Tapiwa Kugedera , Letticia Kokerai , Lawrence Mango

https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.2021.4.5

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of using Acacia karroo pods and leaves for fattening of goats. The experiment was carried out at a farm in Mashava, an area located in Masvingo Province within latitude 20° 2´ 43˝ S and longitude 30° 40´ 29˝ E in the south-eastern part of Zimbabwe. Mixed dried leaves and pods of Acacia karroo were ground using a 2 mm screen and then included at levels of 0, 20, 60 and 100%, replacing ground maize in the diets. Weaned goats (n=64) were allocated in weight order to groups of four animals and randomly assigned to the four treatments in a randomised block design. Growth rates of goats fed with diet containing 100% A. karroo had higher (15.48 ±0.069 kg) final weight compared to any other diets followed with goats fed diet containing 60% of A. karroo and results showed significant differences (p<0.001) between treatments. Feed intake over all treatments was comparable with around 500 g day-1. Goats fed with control diet recorded highest voluntary feed intake of 504.5 g day-1 and lowest of 499 g/day was recorded from diet containing 60 % A. karroo. Goats which were fed with 60 % and 100% A. karroo had low feed conversion ratio (FCR) although the results show significant differences (p<0.05) among all treatments. Goats fed diets containing 0% A. karroo had the least average weekly weights as compared to all other diets. Average weekly weight gains for goats fed with 60 % A. karroo and 100% A. karroo diets rapidly increased in week 2 with those fed 100% A. karroo diets recorded a highest gain of 915.75 ±59.888 g and results were significantly different (p<0.001) between treatments. Farmers are recommended to use 60-100% A. karroo diets when pen fattening goats.

Keywords

Assessing, Effects, Acacia karroo, Pen fattening, Goats

References

• Aganga, A. A., Adogla-Bessa, T., Omphile, U. J & Tshireletso, K. (2000). Significance of browses in the nutrition of Tswana goats. Arch. Zootec. 49, 469–480.
• AOAC. (2005). Official methods of analysis. 18th ed. Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists.
• Alemu, B., Animut, G & Tolera, A. (2014). Effect of Milletti aferruginea (Birbra) foliage supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, body weight change and carcass characteristics of Washera sheep fed natural pasture grass hay basal diet. Springer Plus, 3: 50-61
• Brown, D., Ng’ambi, J. W & Norris, D. (2018). Effect of tanniniferous Acacia karroo leaf meal inclusion level on feed intake, digestibility and live weight gain of goats fed a Setaria verticillata grass hay-based diet, Journal of Applied Animal Research, 46:1, 248253, Doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2017.1289939
• Brown, D., Ng’ambi, J. W &Norris, D. (2016). Voluntary intake and palatability indices of Pedi goats fed different levels of Acacia karroo leaf meal by cafeteria method. Indian Anim Res. 50:41–47.
• Dube, J. S. (2000). The use of Acacia karroo and Acacia nilotica leaves as dry season supplementary feeds for livestock. In: Holness, D.H. (Ed.), Strategies for Dry Season Feeding of Animals in Central and Southern Africa; Proceedings of a Joint Zimbabwe Society for Animal Production and Food and Agriculture Organisation Sub-regional Office for Southern and East Africa, Workshop held in Harare, Zimbabwe. 25th–27th October 1999, pp. 121–127.
• Dube, J. S., Reed, J. D & Ndlovu, L. R. (2001). Proanthocyanidins and related phenolics in Acacia leaves of Southern Africa. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol, 91: 59–67.
• Halimani, T. C., Ndlovu, L. R., Dzama, K., Chimonyo, M & Miller, B. G. (2005). Metabolic response of pigs supplemented with incremental levels of leguminous Acacia karroo, Acacia nilotica and Colophospermum mopane leaf meals. Animal Science, 81: 39-45.
• Halimani, T. E. (2002). A study on the effects of including leguminous leaf-meals (Acacia karroo [Hayne], Acacia nilotica [Wild Ex Deliles] and Colophospermum mopane [(C.J. Kirk Ex Benth) J. Leonard] in fattening diets of pigs (Sus domesticus). M. Phil Thesis. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zimbabwe
• Kahiya, C., Mukaratirwa, S & Thamsborg, S. M. (2003). Effects of Acacia Nilotica and Acacia karroo diets on Haemonchus Contortus infection in goats. Veterinary Parasitology, 115: 265–274.
• Kugedera, A. T. (2019). Polyphenols in Sorghum, Their Effects on Broilers and Methods of Reducing Their Effects: A Review. Biomed J Sci & Tech Res, 19(1): 14058-14061. Doi: https://doi.org/10.26717/BJSTR.2019.19.003243
• Kugedera, A. T & Chimbwanda, F. (2018). Partial Substitution of Maize with SV1 and Red Swazi at 30% Level in Broiler Diets. Journal of Biodiversity Manage Forestry 7:3. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4172/2327-4417.100020
• Mapiye, C., Chimonyo, M., Dzama, K., Hugo, A., Strydom, P. E & Muchenje, V. (2009). Diets containing Acacia karroo foliage lower n-6/n-3 ratio in beef from Nguni steers. In: Proceedings of the 55th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (pp. 1482–1484). Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Mapiye, C., Chimonyo, M., Dzama, K., Hugo, A., Strydom, P. E & Muchenje, V. (2009b). Diets containing Acacia karroo foliage lower n-6/n-3 ratio in beef from Nguni steers. In: Proceedings of the 55th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology, Copenhagen, Denmark, 16–21 August 2009. pp 1482–1484.
• Mapiye, C., Chimonyo, M., Dzama, K., Muchenje, V & Strydom, P. E. (2010). Meat quality of Nguni steers supplemented with Acacia karroo leaf-meal. Meat Science, 84: 621–627.
• Mapiye, C., Chimonyo, M., Dzama, K., Strydom, P. E., Marufu, M. C & Muchenje, V. (2009c). Nutritional status, growth performance and carcass characteristics of Nguni steers supplemented with Acacia karroo leaf-meal. Livestock Science, 126: 206–214.
• Mapiye, C., Chimonyo, M., Dzama, K., Strydom, P. E., Marufu, M. C & Muchenje, V. (2009). Nutritional status, growth performance and carcass characteristics of Nguni steers supplemented with Acacia karroo leaf-meal. Livestock Science, 206–214.
• Mapiye, C., Chimonyo, M., Marufu, M. C & Dzama, K. (2011). Utility of Acacia karroo for beef production in Southern African smallholder farming systems: A review. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 164: 135–146.
• Marume, U., Chimonyo, M & Dzama, K. (2012a). Influence of dietary supplementation with Acacia karroo on experimental haemonchosis in indigenous Xhosa lop-eared goats of South Africa. Livestock Science, 144: 132–139.
• Marume, U., Hugo, A., Chimonyo, M., Muchenje, V & Dzama, K. (2012b). Effect of dietary supplementation with Acacia karroo leaves on fatty acid profiles and consumer sensory attributes of Xhosa lop-eared goats under artificial haemonchosis. Animal Production Science 52: 1099–1106.
• Masiku, E. M. (2013). The potential of Acacia karroo leaf meal as a protein supplement for fattening goats. Msc Thesis, Faculty of Agricultue, University of Namibia pp 125.
• Mokoboki, H. K., Ndlovu, L. R., Ngambi, J. W., Malatje, M. M & Nikolovav, R. V. (2005). Nutritive value of Acacia tree foliages growing in the Limpopo province of South Africa. S Afr J Anim Sci. 35:221–228.
• Ngambi, J. W., Alabi, O. J & Norris, D. (2013). Role of goats in food security, poverty alleviation and prosperity with special reference to Sub-Saharan Africa: a review. Indian J Anim Res, 47:1–9.
• Ngongoni, N. T., Mapiye, C., Mwale, M & Mupeta, B. (2007). Effect of supplementing a high-protein ram press sunflower cake concentrate on smallholder milk. Trop. Anim. Health Prod, 39: 297–307.
• Nyamukanza, C. C & Scogings, P. F. (2008). Sprout selection and performance of goats fed Acacia karroo coppices in the False Thornveld of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. S. Afr. J. Anim. Sci, 38: 83–90.