Concentrate supplementation of female goat kids grazing on Urochloa brizantha cv. MG 5

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation of female goat kids grazing on Urochloa brizantha cv. MG 5 pasture at levels of 0%, 0.8% and 1.6% of their body weight (BW) on nutrient intake from the supplement and animal performance (average daily gain – ADG, total weight gain – TWG, feed conversion – FC, and feed efficiency – FE). Twelve female goat kids of undefined breed, with a mean BW of 15.43 ± 0.2 kg, were divided into three batches of 4 animals each and maintained in a MG 5 paddock measuring 0.6 ha. The supplement was offered to the animals daily, always in the afternoon. The concentrate supplement contained approximately 18% crude protein (CP) and 80% total digestible nutrients. A completely randomized design consisting of three experimental treatments (supplementation at 0%, 0.8% and 1.6% of BW) was used, with 4 repetitions per treatment. The supplement intake and animal performance data were submitted to analysis of variance and differences were tested by regression analysis at a probability of 5%. The intake of dry matter, organic matter, CP, ether extract and neutral detergent fiber, expressed as %BW and g/kg0.75, increased linearly (P0.05) the ADG of pasture-fed goats. However, the different levels of concentrate supplementation (0%, 0.8% and 1.6% of BW) offered to goats altered FC in a linear manner. A quadratic effect was observed for FE, with a maximum value of 0.18 for the 1.0% level of concentrate supplementation. Concentrate supplementation up to 1.6% of BW does not alter the ADG or TWG of female goat kids grazing on MG 5 pasture.

Keywords

• consumo
• ganho médio diário
• matéria sexa
• peso corporal