Vol. 9, Issue 1, Part D (2024)

Author(s): Preetam Sangam, Hayavadana GR, Jaishankar N, Chethan KP, Shivakumar MC, Naveen Kumar GS and Sathisha KB

Abstract: An experiment was conducted to assess the growth potentiality of non-descriptive goat kids reared in Hassan with COFS 29 as sole roughage source. Twenty non-descriptive goat kids of Hassan district aged 3-4 months and average body weight of 9.0±0.5 kg were selected and divided into four treatment groups with five replication and each one was randomly allotted to one of the four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. COFS-29 was fed as a sole roughage source ad libitum to all the groups. Compounded feed mixture was offered to different treatment groups as to meet maintenance level (T₁) and to support body weight gains of 25 g/d (T₂), 75 g/d (T₃), and 125 g/d (T₄) as per ICAR, 2013. The experiment was carried out for the duration of 90 days and at the end of the feeding trial, eight experimental animals (two animals from each treatment group) were subjected to a metabolism trial for five daysto assess the nutrient utilization. Body weight of the experimental animals was recorded at weekly interval during the feeding trial to determine body weight gain, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio of different experimental groups. The total dry matter intake (g/d) and R:C ratio was gradually improved from T₁ to T₄ group respectively without any adverse effects. Highest body weight gains was reported in T₄ group (73.55 g/d) fed to achieve 125 g gain/d. Positive nitrogen balance was noticed in all the treatment groups linearly in T₁ to T₄ group might be due to better crude protein intake and digestibility. Hence, it is concluded that the growth potentiality of non-descriptive goat kids reared in Hassan is 75 g gain per day when fed as per ICAR 2013 under intensive system.