• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제11권4호
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 1998

In a feeding trial, Jamunapari male kids (18) of about 4 months age were equally divided into two groups of nine animals each. Goats in the experimental group were fed sun-dried pelleted Leucaena leucocephala leaves and those in the control group were offered a conventional diet without Leucaena leaves as per Kearl (1982) recommendations for a period of 6 months. Daily dry matter intake DMI/100 kg BW was $3.13{\pm}0.04kg$ in the Leucaena group and $3.30{\pm}0.05kg$ in the control. There were significant (p < 0.01) differences in the apparent digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and NFE being lower in the Leucaena group. Contents of digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were 11.40 and 52.20%, respectively, in the Leucaena group and 14.04 and 66.10%, respectively in the control. The nitrogen in the Leucaena group was not well utilized as compared to the control, though kids were in positive nitrogen balance in both the groups. The average daily weight gain of kids on pelleted Leucaena was $29.95{\pm}2.60g$ as against $42.09{\pm}3.24g$ observed in the control. The mean DMI/kg LW gain was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the Leucaena group ($14.70{\pm}0.78kg$) as compared to the control ($11.55{\pm}0.46kg$). The Hb, BUN, SGOT and SGPT concentrations were statistically similar in both the groups. Histopathological examination of thyroid gland of goats sacrificed at the end of experiment did not reveal any signs of colloidal goitre associated with mimosine toxicity. No significant pathological alterations were observed in vital organs irrespective of dietary treatment. Sundried, pelleted Leucaena foliage appears to be a promising potential feed for growing goats without any significant deleterious effect.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제15권6호
• /
• pp.772-776
• /
• 2002

This study was made with 631 does of 3 genetic groups and 1,112 of their kids allocated into 3 different locations to examine gestation length, litter size and litter weight in goats. Attributes studied were genetic group, parity, age of dam at kidding, weight of dam at breeding, season and location. Genetic group of dam affected significantly (p<0.01) size of litter but not gestation length and weight of litter. Selected Black Bengal (SBB) genetic group performed better in litter size and litter weight than random bred Black Bengal (RBB) and its crossbreds with Jamunapari ♂ (JBB). Litter size and weight were significantly affected by age of dam at kidding (p<0.01), weight of dam at service (p<0.001) and parity (p<0001). Size and weight of litter were found highest in SBB does, or does having 35-40 months of age at kidding, or does with 19-20 kg live weight at service, or at 4th parity. Season, location and parity also affected significantly (p<0.05) gestation length. Shortest gestation length was found in 5th parity or in summer season, whereas the longest was in 2nd parity or in winter season.