Abstract
Forty-eight crossbred meat goats were used to determine if poultry litter pellets could be used as a protein source in the diets of growing meat goats. Goats were fed one of three 19-21% CP diets containing 0 (CON; n = 18), 20% (20PL; n = 12) or 40% poultry litter pellets (40PL; n = 18). In Experiment 1, 38 animals (n = 13 CON; n = 12 20PL; n = 13 40PL) were used. Goats were allowed a 23-day adjustment period and body weight (BW) and feed intake were measured every 7 days for 42 days. In Experiment 2, 10 males fed CON or 40PL (n = 5 per diet) were used in two metabolism trials at 93.7 ± 0.9 (Trial 1) and 121.7 ± 0.9 d of age (Trial 2). Goats were placed in metabolism crates and after a 3-day adjustment period, feed intake and fecal and urine output were measured and sampled daily for 7 days to determine diet digestibility. In Experiment 1, ADG (79 ± 8 g) and feed efficiency (130 ± 12 g per kg) were not influenced by diet. In Experiment 2, for both trials, organic matter and CP digestibility were similar between diets (80 ± 1 and 70 ± 3% for Trial 1, respectively and 63 ± 2 and 75 ± 7% for Trial 2, respectively). Dry matter digestibility was greater (P < 0.05) for CON (81 ± 1 and 82 ± 1% for Trials 1 and 2, respectively) when compared to 40PL (77 ± 1 and 75 ± 1% for Trials 1 and 2, respectively). The ADF (41 ± 4% for CON and 67 ± 4% for 40PL) and NDF (48 ± 4% for CON and 71 ± 4% for 40PL) were greater (P < 0.01) for 40PL compared to CON diet in Trial 1 only. Digestibility (GE) was higher (P < 0.05) for 40PL (83 ± 0.3%) compared to CON (82 ± 0.3%) in Trial 2 only. The poultry litter pellets may be used effectively as a short-term feedstuff for meat goats.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 278-281 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Small Ruminant Research |
Volume | 66 |
Issue number | 1-3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2006 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Dawn M. Ferara, graduate student and Perdue AgriRecycle, Springfield, MO for donation of the poultry litter pellets and other feed ingredients. In addition, the authors thank Dr. Duane Keisler at the University of Missouri for measuring serum leptin. This study was supported by funding from the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Agriculture Experiment Station.
Keywords
- Digestibility
- Meat goat
- Poultry litter
- Protein