PERFORMANCE OF GOATS FED CROP RESIDUE BASED COMPLETE RATIONS

A metabolism trial was conducted in adult goats to evaluate groundnut haulms (GNH; Arachis hypogia) and red gram bhusa (RGB; Cicer arietum) based complete rations (CR-I and CR-II, respectively) with roughage:concentrate ratio of 70:30. The GNH and RGB contained 10.3 and 9.8% crude protein, respectively. The average DMI during metabolism trial was 90.2 and 86.3 g/ kgw 0.75 in goats fed CR-I and CR-II rations, respectively. The digestibility coefficients of various nutrients were statistically similar between two groups. But slightly higher (P>0.05) digestibility of CP and EE was observed in CR-II, while CF and NFE digestibility was more in CR-I. The DCP intake (g/d) was 89.6 and 88.1 and that of TDN intake (g/d) was 650.3 and 758.4 in animals fed CR-I and CR-II, respectively. The animals showed positive nitrogen balance in both the groups which indicated better utilization of protein in complete diets. The growth trial conducted in weaner kids of 4 months age for a period of 120 days resulted in an average daily gain (g/d) of 52.17 in CR- I and 50.00 in CR-II.