EFFECTS OF FEEDING DIFFERENT GRASSES ON FEED INTAKE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND THE MEAT QUALITY OF GALLA GOATS RAISED UNDER CONFINEMENT

Abstract

Livestock productivity is constrained by poor nutrition. The underlying factors that restrict productivity are poor feed quality and its unavailability, especially in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions in Kenya. The use of alternative feed sources that are adapted to prolonged dry seasons is imperative. The effect of feeding different grasses on feed intake, growth performance, and taste of meat of Galla goats raised in confinement was tested using 16 individually housed buckling male goats of 15.31±3.1 kg. In a randomized, complete block design, the goats were blocked by initial weight and the four dietary treatments, that is, Napier grass, Brachiaria, Rhodes grass and Leucaena (a control) randomly assigned within each block. The goats were housed in individual pens and the experiment lasted 98 days. The experimental diet, mineral licks and water were offered ad libitum. Each goat was supplemented with 100 g/day of dairy meal. The feed intake was not significantly different between (P˂0.05) goats fed Napier, Brachiaria or Leucaena but was significantly different (P˂0.05) from goats fed Rhodes grass. Significantly higher weight gains (P <0.05) were observed in goats fed Napier and Brachiaria treatments. The goats fed Rhodes grass lost weight throughout the study. The treatments had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the taste, juiciness or overall acceptability of the meat. Regarding the method of cooking, roasting was least preferred (P˂0.05) in terms of the juiciness of the meat as compared to boiling and frying. Therefore, it can be concluded that Napier grass and Brachiaria could be used as an alternative feed for goats raised under confinement during dry periods. Keywords Feed intake; live weight gain; Napier; Brachiaria; Rhodes; Leucaena; Juiciness; Taste; Overall acceptability.