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Effect of Feeding Systems on Feed Intake, Eating Behavior, Growth, Reproductive Performance and Parasitic Infestation of Black Bengal Goat

M. Moniruzzaman
Corresponding Author
Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh and Laboratory of Reproductive Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Kobe University, 1-1, Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe 657-8501, Japan

M. A. Hashem
Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

S. Akhter
Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

M. M. Hossain
Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The experiment was conducted to find out the effect of 4 feeding systems on growth, feed intake, eating behavior, lactation performance, gestation period, post-partum heat period, conception rate and parasitic infestation of Black Bengal goat. Twenty four does of approximately 1 year of age were randomly selected for 4 treatment (feeding systems) groups having 6 replications in each. Treatments were stall feeding (T₁), tethering (T₂), restricted grazing (T₃) and grazing (T₄). T₁ group was housed continuously and adequate amounts of natural grass were supplied for ad libitum feeding. T₂ group was tethered for grazing natural grass from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. being moved at one-hour intervals. Goats of T₃ group were allowed grazing from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. T₄ group was grazed from 8 a. m. to 4 p.m. Concentrate supplement was given at the rate of 150 g per day per goat for all of the treatment groups. Duration of experiment was 219 days. Daily live weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case of stall fed goats than that of others. DM intake also significantly (p<0.05) differed among the treatment groups and was 3.40 3.95, 3.76 and 4.05 per cent of their live weight for stall feeding, tethering, restricted grazing and grazing groups, respectively. Rate of rumination was significantly (p<0.05) higher in case of tethering group of goats than that of others. Birth weight of kids, milk yield, lactation period and post-partum heat period were significantly higher in case of stall fed goats than others. Tethering group showed significantly (p<0.05) higher litter size than others. Infestation rate of Fasciola was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the grazing group. In conclusion, it may be stated that among these feeding groups overall performance of stall fed goats was more satisfactory, and that the tethering group showed better performance than the others. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2002. Vol 15, No. 10 : 1453-1457).

Keywords: Feeding System, Intake, Growth, Reproduction, Goat

Location: The Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-06-1999

End Date: 00-04-2000

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Goat, Feed

Objectives:

To study the feed intake, growth, feeding behavior, conception rate, gestation period, birth weight of kid, lactation period, milk yield and parasitic infestation of Black Bengal goat on different systems of feeding.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at the Sheep, Goat and Horse farm under the Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh from June, 1999 to April, 2000. The experiment was conducted with twenty-four Black Bengal goats (does). Their age was nearly 1 year. After an adjustment period of 1 month, 24 goats were randomly assigned for four treatment groups having 6 replications for each. Treatments were stall feeding (_T1), tethering (T₂), restricted grazing (T₃) and grazing (T₄). Goats of T₁ (stall feeding) group were kept fully in intensive conditions. They were given natural grass ad-libitum. Half of the total amount of grass was offered at 9 a. m and the remaining half was given at 2 pm. In group T₂, the goats were tethered from 8 am to 4 pm at the place of grazing and were moved at one hour intervals. A peg and a rope 20 feet in length was used for tethering. The goats of T₃ (restricted grazing) treatment group were allowed grazing from 8 am. to 1 pm. For these animals, concentrate feed mixture was given at 2.0 pm and natural grass at 4.0 pm. The goats of T₄ (grazing) were allowed grazing from 8 am to 4 pm. Natural grass was collected from grazing land. It was a mixture of Carpet grass (Axonopus compresus), Ulu grass (Imperata cylindrica), Durba grass (Cynopodon dactylon) and Mutha grass (Cyperus rotundus). Concentrate mixture was prepared by adding the same amount of wheat bran and matikalai (Phaseolus mungo) bran. Concentrate supplement was given at a rate of 150 g per day per animal in the first month and this amount was increased at the rate of 5 gram after every month. This increased amount of concentrate was added to adjust to their requirement for increased live weight. Supplement allocation was adjusted fortnightly based on live weight gain. Calfostonic was supplied at the rate of 5 g per animal per day as a vitamin-mineral premix. One per cent common salt was also added. Experimental animals were weighed individually before access to grazing land (at 8 am) and weighed again at 12 am after returning back from grazing land. The animals were again weighed after completing the grazing at 4 pm. The difference between two weight records was considered as the amount of herbage consumed by individual animals. Three goats of each treatment group were observed at 5 minute intervals from 6 am to 8 am and again from 4 pm to 10 pm for examining the eating and rumination behavior. The observation had been carried out by a team of 4 researchers. The parameters observed were eating concentrate (EC), eating grass (EG), rumination (R), lying idling (LI), standing idling (SI), drinking (D), and asleep (A). Goats were weighed individually at fortnightly intervals. Weighing was performed at 7.30 am before offering any feed, and special care was taken to get accurate weights. The estrus symptoms of goats were identified by visual observation and goats in estrus were serviced by a Black Bengal buck towards the end of each estrus period. Proper care was taken for pregnant goats and weight gain was recorded. Date of service, gestation period, litter size and birth weight of kids were also recorded. On every third day of the suckling period, kids were separated from their dams for 24 h and does were milked in the morning and evening for estimation of milk yield. Average milk yield (g/day) was calculated and recorded for each doe of all the groups. Lactation period was determined from the date of kidding to the date of weaning. Fecal samples were collected fortnightly directly from the rectum of each goat in the morning before supplying feed. Collected fecal samples were brought to the laboratory to count the eggs of different gastro-intestinal parasites by using Stall’s method. From each fecal sample 3.0 g of feces were taken and well mixed with a few drops of water in a beaker using a flat bottomed glass rod. Saline water was added to make the total volume of 45 ml and stirred well using a glass stirrer. With the help of a graduated pipette 0.15 ml of fecal suspension was transferred to a glass slide and covered with a 20×40 mm cover glass. Traces of ova were counted under low power objectives of a microscope. Number of ova were counted and multiplied by factor 100 to determine the number of ova per gram of feces. The eggs were identified by studying their morphology, shape and size as suggested by Soullsby (1968). All the experimental data were analyzed using “MSTAT” statistical program to compute analysis of variance (ANOVA) for CRD. Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was done to identify significant differences among the treatment means.

Source of Information: Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, October 2002

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: 10.5713/ajas.2002.1453

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Effects of different systems of feeding on the feed intake of Black Bengal goats are described. There was a significant (p<0.05) variation of roughage intake with values of 0.74, 0.83, 0.67 and 0.77 kg for stall-fed, tethered, restricted grazing and grazing goats per day, respectively. Average dry matter intake per goat per day was 334.36, 356.60, 318 and 341.88 g for stall-fed, tethered, restricted grazing and grazing goats, respectively. DM intake significantly (p<0.05) differed among the treatment groups. Lowest dry matter intake was recorded for stall fed goats. This may be due to variation of feeding systems. Grazing goats require extra energy for roaming. On the other hand, stall fed goats require less energy for maintenance as they live in the house all the day long. Similarly, Galina et al. (1993) reported higher DM intake of pastured Alpine goats than that of housed goats. Effect of different systems of feeding on the rate of parasitic infestation is shown. Number of eggs of Fasciola were significantly higher in case of grazing goats than that of others. The average value of stall fed goats for Strongylus was significantly (p<0.01) lower than that of restricted grazing and grazing groups.

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