Growth and eye muscle area of cross-bred Boer goats fed Desmanthus cultivar JCU 1 hay
Journal Contribution ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
The objective of the present study was to compare rate of liveweight gain and accretion of eye muscle determined at the 12th rib of twenty female Boer goats (19.84±2.21 kg) fed RGH supplemented with either urea, urea + CSM, CSM or only fed Desmanthus (cultivar JCU 1) hay over 138 days. All diets supplied sufficient crude protein, RDP and minerals to maintain normal rumen function at high levels of DMI (NRC 2007). The Desmanthus diet resulted in the highest total dry matter intake (DMI), crude protein intake (CPI) and metabolisable energy intake (MEI) while the diet supplemented with urea produced the lowest total DMI, CPI and MEI (Table 1). The diets supplemented with urea + CSM or CSM showed intermediate values for total DMI, CPI and MEI. The rates of liveweight gain across all diets were consistent with those predicted by NRC (2007) based on metabolisable energy intake for a 20-kg Boer goat. Importantly, once requirements of the rumen for RDP (and minerals) are met, diets with the most UDP in dry matter (CSM and Desmanthus) supported the highest dry matter intakes, rates of liveweight gain and eye muscle area.
Journal
Animal Production Science
Publication Name
N/A
Volume
58
ISBN/ISSN
1836-5787
Edition
N/A
Issue
N/A
Pages Count
1
Location
Wagga Wagga, NSW Australia
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Publisher Url
N/A
Publisher Location
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Publish Date
N/A
Url
N/A
Date
N/A
EISSN
N/A
DOI
N/A