A local supplementary diet improves reproductive performance in does and growth in kids of small East African x Norwegian landrace goats
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Date
2017
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Abstract
In the tropical countries including Tanzania the major and economical feeds for ruminants are
natural pastures. Yet, these feeds are oftentimes seasonal and are of poor quality such that they alone
cannot meet optimum nutritional requirements for high producing ruminants such as dairy goats.
Therefore, it has been adviced to supplement such animals with concentrate to increase production
and gain profit. However, commercial concentrates are expensive and are not commonly used by
farmers. For this reasons, animals are either not supplemented or are supplemented at very low
levels with whatsoever available feeds. We believe that in Tanzania dairy goats are underfed and
this situation has negative effects on the animals. We therefore conducted this study in 117 dairy
goats (43 does and 74 kids) to confirm our hypothesis on one hand and show how supplementation
is not always expensive. The feed was made from ingredients obtained in the local vicinities at
a cheap price. These are available all over the country. Data were collected and analyzed using
relevant tools and models including weighing, body condition score (BCS) scale and statistical
software. Our high level diet was 600 grams (g) of a feed comprising of maize brans, sunflower
seed cake and a few mixed minerals. It is common in many farms to provide only 200 g of maize
brans. We report better performance for weights and BCS in dairy does fed a high level diet and
better growing kids from these animals.
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Keywords
Cross breeding, Dairy goats, Indigenous goats, Nutrition, Tanzania