TY - JOUR
T1 - Evaluation of Meskit (Prosopis juliflora) pods as a feed for goats
AU - Mahgoub, Osman
AU - Kadim, Isam T.
AU - Forsberg, Neil E.
AU - Al-Ajmi, Dawood S.
AU - Al-Saqry, Naseeb M.
AU - Al-Abri, Abdullah S.
AU - Annamalai, Kanthi
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Mr Sadeq M. Al-Lawati for technical help. This study was funded by Sultan Qaboos University.
PY - 2005/6/24
Y1 - 2005/6/24
N2 - A study was completed to evaluate effects of increasing dietary levels of dry pods of Meskit (Prosopis juliflora) on Omani native goat performance. Individual feed intake and body weight were determined during a 50-day experimental period. Rations with four levels (0, 100, 200 and 300 g/kg) of Meskit pods were fed to Omani goats by reducing the proportion of Rhodes grass (Chloris guyana) hay in the diet. The ripened Meskit pods contained 930 g/kg dry matter, 120 g/kg crude protein, 317 g/kg acid detergent fibre, 402 g/kg neutral detergent fibre, 26 g/kg ether extract and 40 g/kg ash. Feed intake, growth rate and feed conversion were maximized with Meskit in the diet at 200 g/kg. However, these values dropped sharply when Meskit pod proportion in the ration was increased to 300 g/kg. Feeding diets containing levels of Meskit pods up to 300 g/kg did not affect proportions of body components or carcass chemical composition. Results indicate that P. juliflora pods can be used up to proportions of 200 g/kg in Omani goat diets to improve feed intake, feed conversion and body weight gain without compromising carcass yield or quality.
AB - A study was completed to evaluate effects of increasing dietary levels of dry pods of Meskit (Prosopis juliflora) on Omani native goat performance. Individual feed intake and body weight were determined during a 50-day experimental period. Rations with four levels (0, 100, 200 and 300 g/kg) of Meskit pods were fed to Omani goats by reducing the proportion of Rhodes grass (Chloris guyana) hay in the diet. The ripened Meskit pods contained 930 g/kg dry matter, 120 g/kg crude protein, 317 g/kg acid detergent fibre, 402 g/kg neutral detergent fibre, 26 g/kg ether extract and 40 g/kg ash. Feed intake, growth rate and feed conversion were maximized with Meskit in the diet at 200 g/kg. However, these values dropped sharply when Meskit pod proportion in the ration was increased to 300 g/kg. Feeding diets containing levels of Meskit pods up to 300 g/kg did not affect proportions of body components or carcass chemical composition. Results indicate that P. juliflora pods can be used up to proportions of 200 g/kg in Omani goat diets to improve feed intake, feed conversion and body weight gain without compromising carcass yield or quality.
KW - Goats
KW - Growth
KW - Meskit
KW - Mesquite
KW - Oman
KW - Prosopis juliflora
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U2 - 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2005.01.016
DO - 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2005.01.016
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:20344395385
SN - 0377-8401
VL - 121
SP - 319
EP - 327
JO - Animal Feed Science and Technology
JF - Animal Feed Science and Technology
IS - 3-4
ER -