Vol. 6, Issue 5, Part A (2021)

Author(s): F Kemboi, JO Ondiek, AM King’ori, PA Onjoro and JL Museti

Abstract: A seventy (70) day feeding trial was conducted to determine the economic benefit of including indigenous browses and tannin binders in growing small east African (SEA) goat diets. To test the economic benefit of inclusion of indigenous browses, thirty (30) growing goats weighing 10.5 kg ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to the ten (10) experimental diets in a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The browse leaves were supplemented at 0, 15, 30, and 45% of the Acacia brevispica, Balanites aegyptiaca, and Berchemia discolor, respectively. For economic benefit determination of inclusion of tannin binders in indigenous browses, twenty-four (24) growing goats with bodyweight 10.5 kg ±1.3 (mean± SD) were randomly assigned to the Acacia brevispica, and Berchemia discolor diets with various levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and bentonite clay in a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement. Feed cost per kilogram of gain (192.2 KES/kg) was significantly (P<0.05) lower in the inclusion level of 45% A. brevispica (T4) leaf meal in comparison to the other inclusion levels. An increase in supplementation led to a lower feed cost per kilogram of gain (KES/kg). The feed cost per kg weight gain revealed that the addition of 45% A. brevispica leaf meal as a supplement was the most cost-effective than other inclusion levels. Feed cost per kilogram of gain (KES/kg) was significantly (P<0.05) lower and better in D3 (406.2) and D6 (392.3) compared to other dietary treatments where tannin binders were incorporated. Incorporating the bentonite clay as a tannin binder was better than PEG in terms of the cost of feed per kg gain. It was concluded that increasing levels of tree browse and use of bentonite was not only cheaper but also resulted in a higher weight gain.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2021.v6.i5a.381