Performance of pashmina kid goats fed oak (Quercus semecarpifolia) leaves supplemented with a urea molasses mineral block

The study was carried out for 180 days in the temperate and humid climate o f Kumaon hills in the Himalayas. Twelve healthy male pashmina kid goats (5- 6 months age and 12.8 kg average body weight) were randomly assigned to thr ee groups of four animals. The kids of group I were fed conventional concen trate mixture and ad libitum freshly topped oak leaves to meet nutrient req uirements [NRC, 1981. Nutrient Requirement of Goats. National Academy Press , Washington, D.C. USA, pp. 10-12]. In group II, kids were fed urea molasse s mineral block (UMMB) licks along with freshly lopped green oak leaves whe reas animals of group III were fed solely on oak leaves (negative control g roup). A 7-day metabolism trial was conducted at the end of experiment. The dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intakes and their digestibility wer e lower (P<0.01) in group III but comparable between group I and II. Intake of organic matter (OM) and ether extract (EE) was also lower (P<0.05) in g roup III but similar in other groups. Digestibility of OM differed (P<0.01) among the three groups. It was the highest in group I (62.5%) and the lowe st in group III (50.5%). Digestibility of EE was also lower (P<0.01) in gro up III (33.2%). Digestibility of acid detergent fibre (ADF) was significant ly higher in group III (29.1%) and similar for groups I and II. Average dai ly gain in groups I, II and III was 46.3, 44.3 and 27.3 g/day, respectively and it was lower (P<0.01) in group III. Nitrogen balance was depressed (P< 0.01) in group III (1.1 g/day) and comparable between groups I and II. The intake of total digestible nutrient (TDN) was (P<0.01) the highest in group I (49.6 g/kg W-0.75) and the lowest in group III (31.4 g/kg W-0.75). Resul ts indicate that providing a concentrate mixture or a UMMB lick without aff ecting the performance of pashmina kid goats could ameliorate the depressin g effect of oak leaves on the digestibility of nutrients. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.