Page 120 - Agroforestry system - book inner (final corrected) - 9.-3-21_Neat

National level e-symposium on “Agroforestry system for augmenting livestock
productivity and empowering resource poor rural farmers”

Dry matter intake / kg W 0.75 3.12 2.92
Feed conversion ratio 11.35 10.92

Livability (%) 100 100

*Mean of 6 observations NS –Non significant

A non significant average daily gain (g) was noted between the control and treatment groups. Tripathi
(2014) reported that monsoon herbages (D. aegypticum, Cenchrus ciliaris, and T. purpurea) have potential
for feeding to kids in the form of complete pellet feed during feed scarcity periods for supporting their
optimum growth.

The digestibility of nutrients in kids influenced by feeding of conventional fodder Vs Total Mixed Ration
is presented in table 2.

Table 2: Digestibility of nutrients in kids influenced by feeding conventional fodder Vs Total Mixed
Ration (Mean* ± SE)

Nutrients Digestibility NS Conventional fodders Total Mixed Ration
Digestibility coefficient (%)

Dry matter 72.44 ± 0.64 73.25 ± 0.22
Crude Protein 71.74 ± 0.70 70.50 ± 0.54

Crude fibre 48.01 ± 2.77 51.34 ± 3.67
Ether extract 75.50 ± 5.65 69.92 ± 1.08
Nitrogen free extract 66.00 ± 0.79 64.79 ± 0.52

DCP (%) 7.77 ± 0.07 7.66 ± 0.05
TDN (%) 63.57 ± 0.70 62.26 ± 1.34

*Mean of 6 observations NS –Non significant

A non significant digestibility of nutrients was noted between the control and treatment groups.
Chaturvedi (2014) reported that supplementation of complete feed in block form to grazing ewes during feed
scarcity in semi-arid region helped in sustaining their body weight due to better nutrient availability compared
to unsupplemented ewes maintained on sole grazing that lost 1.52 kg body weight.
Conclusion

This study indicates that total mixed ration prepared using fodder sorghum Co 31 + fodder cowpea
Co(FC) 8 + concentrate feed was able to sustain growth of Boer cross bred kids and digestibility of nutrients
similar to that of control kids fed with Bajra Napier fodder + Tree leaves (Leucaena leucocephala and
Gliricidia sepium) + concentrate feed. Thus, the concept of dry TMR, a conserved feed is a better option for
providing balanced nutrients to goats as a climate sustainable approach.

Keywords: Hortipasture - Total Mixed Ration - Goats - Growth trial - Digestibility trial

Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 101