Effect of feeding improved varieties of fodder on growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Osmanabadi goat

In India, most grasslands are inhabited with grasses of low nutritive quality and poor fodder production potential. An alternative is to use nutrient rich and high yielding, but less resource intensive fodder crops. Marvel grass having low crude protein, the species is considered as one of the best grass for forage and is utilized as hay as well as for grazing purpose. This is also good for soil conservation (Trivedi, 2002). Common names for Marvel grass (Dichanthium annum) are Kail, Kared and Apang, Chhijhavo. Naturally it occurs in Burma, Africa and Australia. In this regard, there is a need to develop new strains and varieties of high yielding and nutritious green fodders to provide balanced nutrients to ruminants as well as to reduce the cost of feeding by substituting greens for expensive concentrates to some extent. Hybrid Napier (also called bajra-napier hybrid or hybrid pennisetum), the F1 hybrid between Napier and Bajra, is one such fodder grass that has gained popularity among dairy farmers because of its high yielding potential and high nutritive quality. Crude protein in leaves of cultivar DHN-6 was found higher i.e. 13.50 per cent (Antony and Thomas, 2014). Hybrid napier grass is the most popular high yielding perennial grass being cultivated in Karnataka. The grass has very high yield potential and maintains its productivity for 4-5 years.  Hybrid Napier grass has gained considerable importance in dairy industry because of its quick sprouting and rejuvenating capacity. The newly released Hybrid Napiers like DHN-6, CO-3 and CO-4 are high yielding and well adopted to northern transitional zone of Karnataka (Zone-8). Hybrid Napier CO-3 proved suitable and high yielding to coastal lowlands of Karaikal (Challamuthu et al., 2011) whereas, CO-4 in TNAU Coimbatore for uplands (Kumar et al., 2009). As improved varieties of fodder are getting popularity however there actual influence on growth in goat is scanty. Similarly, the literature on these improved varieties is limited. The experimental trial was planned to evaluate effect of feeding improved varieties of fodder on growth performance of Osmanabadi goat.
 
Experimental site
 
The experiment was conducted during 16^th March, 2017 to 31^st January, 2018 at Goat unit, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Science, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, College of Agriculture, Parbhani. The experimental period was 300 days and 10 days as a pre-experimental period. The trial was conducted on 18 Osmanabadi does divided into 3 groups, 6 does in each group. The does of one half to two years of age were selected for study. The experimental period was 300 days and 10 days as a pre-experimental period. The stall feeding was adopted during course of study.
 
Management of goat
 
The anthelmentics were orally given to experimental goats (Fenbendazole 5 mg per kg BW) in the beginning of experiment and allowed to adapt for few days before experimental feeding. Experimental goats were housed in a clean, well ventilated shed with facilities of individual feeding and watering. The shed and surrounding area was sprayed with Butox and Diptraz at an interval of one month to control external parasites. The goats were regularly groomed and cleaned.
 
Statistical design
The observations were recorded for nutrient intake, nutrient digestibility, monthly body weight of does and monthly gains in body weight of does were analyzed by using factorial completely randomized design.
 
Experimental diet
The groups were fed with treatment (T₁) contents 50 per cent DCP from green Maize fodder + 50 per cent DCP from concentrate mixture + ad lib sorghum kadbi, (T₂) 50 per cent DCP from green marvel grass + 50 per cent DCP from concentrate mixture + ad lib sorghum kadbi and (T₃) 50 per cent DCP from green DHN-6 fodder + 50 per cent DCP from concentrate mixture + ad lib sorghum kadbi. The concentrate mixture was prepared by using following ingredients viz. groundnut cake 30 per cent, maize grain 30 per cent, wheat bran 17 per cent, gram chuni 20 per cent and mineral mixture 2.5 per cent and salt 0.5 per cent. The does from T₁, T₂ and T₃ treatment groups were fed with concentrate mixture at 8:00 am daily followed by green maize, marvel grass and DHN-6 fodder fed to the respective treatment groups. In the afternoon session, at 4:00 pm ad libitum feeding with sorghum kadbi was done for all groups. Fresh, clean and cool drinking water was offered to doe thrice a day in between treatment feed such as concentrate mixture, green fodder and sorghum kadbi.
 
Growth performance
 
The body weight of experimental does were recorded at weekly intervals. All the observations were recorded in the morning before feeding and watering. The digestion trials were conducted to assess the digestibility of feed offered to experimental does.
 
Digestion trial
In whole experimental period, digestion trial was conducted twice comprising of seven days period for each trial. Before digestion trial pre-digestion trial was conducted. During the digestion trial, the experimental does were offered daily feed and water as per schedule. The faeces voided by does during 24 hours of each day were collected and weighed in polythene bags thrice a day.
 
Proximate Analysis of the Experimental Diet
 
Determination of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE) and ash were analyzed for proximate principles by using AOAC, (1995). The proximate analysis is given in Table 1.
 

       
The results of the present study as well as relevant discussions have been presented under following sub heads:
 
Effect of feeding different fodders on monthly DMI in Osmanabadi does
 
It was revealed from the data in Table 2 that, the maximum monthly dry matter intake of Osmanabadi does was observed in treatment group T₃ (DHN-6) followed by T₂ (marvel) and T₁ (maize). It was recorded that there was significant (P < 0.01) effect of feeding different fodders in Osmanabadi does on monthly dry matter intake during the experimental period. The result was higher than Kumar et al., (2015) when offered ad lib sole CO-4 fodder. The DMI results were higher than Kumar et al., (2015) who reported the total DMI (g/d) was 681.84 ± 3.32, 802.51 ± 5.07, 880.36 ± 3.33 and 879.25 ± 2.05 in groups T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄, respectively and was higher (P < 0.05) in T₃ and T₄ followed by T₂ and least in group T₁. When offered ad lib., sheep on an average consumed 681.00 g of DM through sole CO-4 fodder in group T₁. Increased DMI might be due to palatability of fodders and concentrate mixture in the present study. The lower DMI (g/day) was reported by Chellapandian (2016) in experimental group (506.64 ± 3.15 g) were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than the control group (417.28 ± 2.58 g). It was due to high quality fodder, intake was higher.
 

 
Effect of feeding different fodders on monthly DCP intake in Osmanabadi does
 
It was revealed from Table 2 that, the maximum monthly digestible crude protein intake of Osmanabadi does was noted in treatment group T3 (DHN-6) followed by T₂ (marvel) and T₁ (maize). It was recorded that there was significant (P < 0.01) effect of feeding different fodders in Osmanabadi does on monthly digestible crude protein intake during the experimental period. The lower DCP intake was found by Kumar et al., (2015) who reported the digestible crude protein intake in adult sheep fed with CO-4 fodder ad libitum + 150.00 g crushed maize grain + 125.00 g groundnut cake. More CP per cent was found in present study.
 
Effect of feeding different fodders on monthly TDN in Osmanabadi does
 
It was revealed from Table 2 that, the maximum monthly total digestible nutrient intake of Osmanabadi does was noticed in treatment group T₃ (DHN-6) followed by T₂ (marvel) and T₁ (maize). It was recorded that there was significant (P < 0.01) effect of feeding different fodders in Osmanabadi does on monthly total digestible nutrient intake during the experimental period. Devasena and Prasad (2014) reported the total digestible nutrient intake (758.4 ± 54.00 g) in goat fed with the complete rations (CR-II) were prepared to contain roughage:concentrate ratio of 70:30 by adding 50.00 per cent of each crop residue, 20.00 per cent sugar cane bagassee along with concentrate ingredients (maize grain-14.00 per cent, de-oiled groundnut cake-9.00 per cent, molasses-5.00 per cent, salt-1.00 per cent and mineral mixture-1.00 per cent). The nutrient intake was higher due to better palatability of fodder of present study than crop residues. Kumar et al., (2015)  reported that the total digestible nutrient intake was (531.53 ± 4.93 g) in adult sheep fed with CO-4 fodder ad libitum + 150.00 g crushed maize grain + 125.00 g groundnut cake. The present results were higher than that of above mentioned study, it was due to more palatability of fodder to increase TDN intake.
 
Effect of feeding different fodders on nutrient digestibility per cent in Osmanabadi does
 
It was revealed from Table 2 that, significantly higher dry matter, ether extract, crude fiber and nitrogen free extract digestibility was observed in T₃ than T₂ and T₁. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P < 0.01) differences for the dry matter, ether extract, crude fiber and nitrogen free extract digestibility. It was due to higher DCP and NFE content in the treatment group T3 (DHN-6). The digestibility was higher than Kumar et al., (2015) in adult sheep fed with CO-4 fodder ad libitum + 150.00 g crushed maize grain + 125.00 g groundnut cake. But the crude protein digestibility coefficients was lower in present study, it might be due to less DCP intake as compared to the above mentioned study.
 
Effect of feeding different fodders on monthly body weight of Osmanabadi does
 
It was revealed from Table 2 that, the maximum monthly body weight of Osmanabadi does was observed in treatment group T₃ (DHN-6) followed by T₂ (marvel) and T₁ (maize). It was recorded that there was effect of feeding different fodder in Osmanabadi does on monthly body weight during the experimental period. The results were in agreement with Kabir et al., (2002) who reported that the body weight (kg) in goat and sheep for controlled group and supplemented group was 20.24, 26.19 and 17.86, 27.38, respectively, for 140 days of experiment. The results were higher than Alemu et al., (2014) who reported the average body weight (kg) as 19.01, 17.86, 19.21 and 17.89 on supplementing Millettia ferruginea foliage hay to each sheep at levels of 0 (T₁), 150.00 (T₂), 300.00 (T₃) and 450.00 g DM/day (T₄) to experimental sheep fed natural pasture grass hay basal diet. It was because of the species variation and the supplementation of high quality of concentrate mixture to the treatment groups.
 
Effect of feeding different fodders on monthly gain in body weight of Osmanabadi does
 
It was revealed from Table 2 that, the maximum monthly gain in body weight of Osmanabadi does was noted in treatment group T₃ (DHN-6) than T₂ (marvel) and T₁ (maize). There was significant (P < 0.01) effect of feeding different fodders in Osmanabadi does on monthly gain in body weight during the experimental period. The results were higher than the present study given by Ambreen et al., (2014) reported average body weight gain (kg) in ewes as 0.35 ± 0.11, 0.82 ± 0.05, 1.12 ± 0.02 and 2.94 ± 0.04 for T_C, T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄, respectively for 0-60 days. For 60-120 days were 1.43 ± 0.33, 2.00 ± 0.28, 2.41 ± 0.24 and 2.52 ± 0.12, respectively. For 120-180 days were 2.56 ± 0.51, 2.55 ± 0.44, 3.08 ± 0.36 and 3.06 ± 0.09, respectively. First group (TC) was kept without extra supplementation for flushing to serve as control and was managed in 6-8 hrs grazing per ewe per day as their maintenance ration, where-as other groups T₁, T₂ and T₃ were flushed with 300.00, 400.00 and 500.00 g per ewe per day respectively, in addition to 6 hrs grazing (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). It was because of the species variation and the supplementation of more quantity of concentrate mixture to the treatment groups. It was because of the species variation and the supplementation of high quantity of concentrate mixture to the treatment groups. The results were higher than Okoruwa and Igene (2015) who reported average daily weight gain (kg) as 0.48, 0.65 and 0.47, respectively on supplementing the three compared experimental diets (I, II and III) which comprised the combination of sweet potato peels and cashew nut shell with concentrate respectively were in different ratios which include diets I (30:25:45), II (25:30:45) and III (20:35:45). It may be due to the average daily weight gain depends directly on average total weight gain with the quality of feeds and environmental conditions of the animals.

From the present study, it is inferred that treatment group T₃ super seeds rest of the treatment groups in respect of nutrient intake, digestibility and growth performance of Osmanabadi goat. Hence, the set of feeding management with DHN-6 and concentrate mixture is beneficial for rearing of Osmanabadi does.

Our sincere gratitude goes to V.N.M.K.V., Parbhani for providing required materials and laboratory facilities for conducting research. The authors would like to acknowledge Cattle Cross Breeding Project for providing green fodders at the start of research work for three months. The authors would like to acknowledge College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Parbhani for their insightful comments and encouragement, but also hard question which encouraged me to widen my research from various perspectives.