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

Year 2021, Volume: 5 Issue: 4, 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

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