EFFECT OF A SUGAR-CANE, MAIZE STUBBLE, TRUE PROTEIN, MOLASSES AND UREA DIET ON GOAT DEVELOPMENT

The rate of growth, feed conversion, dry matter consumption and produc tion costs of growing goats fed a diet containing 29% of sugar cane to ps, 29% of maize stubble, 29% of a concentrate containing 18% crude pr otein concentrate, 9.5% molasses, 2% urea, 1% salt and 0.5% of a miner al supplement were determined. 140 kids from 9 to 11 months of age wer e divided into two groups according to initial weight and breed. One g roup of the Nubia-breed (64 animals) and another of the Alpine breed ( 76 animals) were used. The diet was fractionated and offered three tim es a day, estimating the feed offered nd rejected and weighing the ani mals weekly. Central trend measurements and hypothesis test for the di fference between means with a statistical ''Z'' and a P < 0.05 signifi cance were employed. The groups were compared by initial weight and by breed. A rate of growth of 102 g/day for the group with the lowest we ight (group 1) and of 85 g/day for the animals with the highest weight s (group 2) was observed. Feed conversion in the first group was 11:1 and 12:1 for the second group. Average dry matter consumption was 1.07 6 kg/day and 1.158 for group 1 and 2, respectively There was a signifi cant difference (P < 0.05) between Alpine and Nubia goats. The diet us ed cost 11 cents (US dollars) kg, the investment/kg of gain was 1.21 a nd 1.32 US dollars for groups 1 and 2, respectively The feed per gain and conversion index were of good quality and favourable on account of the utilization of sugar cane tops and molasses combined with urea an d maize stubble with a true protein source which represents an alterna tive for goat development in the tropics.