EFFECT OF FEEDING DIFFERENT TYPES OF SILAGE (BERSEEM OR KOCHIA AND THEIR MIXTURE WITH FODDER BEET) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF GROWING MALE GOATS.

This work was carried out on growing male Zaraibi goats to investigate the effect of substitution berseem by Kochia as source of protein in silage rations on digestibility, rumen and blood parameters and growth performance for kids.  Eighteen Zaraibi kids (average 20.0 kg live weight and 5-6 months old) were divided into 3 similar groups (6 kids each). Half of crude protein requirements for kids were covered from concentrate feed mixture and the other half of crude protein was covered from: berseem silage in the first group (G1), (50% berseem+50% fodder beet) silage in second group (G2) and (50% Kochia+50% fodder beet) silage in third group (G3) for 16 weeks as an experimental period. At the end of feeding trials, three digestibility trials were conducted on male Zaraibi goats to determine digestibility and the feeding value of the experimental rations.
Results indicated that the CF, CP and Ash contents were higher while, EE, NFE, NDF and hemi cellulose were lower with berseem silage compared with the other silages. Meanwhile, the differences in contents of DM, OM, ADF and cellulose among the different types of silages were so narrow. The effect of the experimental rations on ruminal pH values and microbial protein content were not significant. Whereas, ruminal ammonia-N concentrations at 3 hrs and 6 hrs post-feeding were significantly lower with G2 compared to that of control ration, but the differences were not significant between G1and G3 rations in this item. On the contrary, the values of ruminal total VFA’s were significant higher with the two tested rations than that of control ration at the two post feeding samples. Most blood constituents did not significant inflounced by dietary treatments. The effect of the tested rations on digestion coefficients of most nutrients was not significant. Only CP digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) higher with G1 (73.82%) compared with G2 and G3 (72.05 and 71.70 %, respectively). The same trend was also observed with DCP which recorded 10.27, 9.45 and 9.61 % for G1, G2 and G3, respectively. Regarding growth performance results indicated that the highest value of daily body weight gain was recorded with G1 (90.80 g) followed by G2 (83.30g) and lastly G3 (79.91 g) with significant differences only between G1 and G3. But the effect the tested rations on final weight were not significant in comparison with control one. The feed conversion (kg intake/kg gain), based on DM, TDN and DCP was not influenced by dietary treatments, with scanty better of feed conversion with control ration than the tested ones. The economical efficiency was the best with Kochia-Fodder beet ration in comparison with those containing berseem silage or berseem + fodder beet silage. So feeding growing male goats on 50 % CFM plus 50 % Kochia. Fodder beet silage ration appeared to decrease feed cost and increase econ omic efficiency.