Intake of ashe juniper and live oak by angora goats

Angora mutton goats (Capra hircus) were fed diets of either live oak [Querc us virginiana (Small) Sarg. var, fusiformis], alfalfa hay (Medicago sativa L.), Coastal bermudagrass hay (Cynodon dactylon (L.)Pers.) or female ashe j uniper (Juniperus ashei Buchholz) plus Coastal bermudagrass hay during the spring and fail of 1991 in a digestion/metabolism study. Nitrogen concentra tion of Coastal bermudagrass hay was nearly equal to that of alfalfa hay; n itrogen concentration of ashe juniper and live oak were much lower than tho se of the hays, and were higher in fall than spring. Dry matter intake and dietary nitrogen were highest for alfalfa hay, intermediate for Coastal ber mudagrass hay, and lower for ashe juniper and live oak. Goats retained more nitrogen when consuming alfalfa and Coastal bermudagrass hays than juniper or live oak during fall, but differences were smaller (P > 0.10) during sp ring. Nitrogen balance was negative for goats consuming live oak in the spr ing. Nitrogen balance was positive for live oak in the fall and positive fo r ashe juniper for the spring and fall. Animals fed hay diets had higher le vels of urine output than those fed juniper or live oak. Dry matter digesti bility of juniper and live oak diets was less in fail than in spring. Durin g fall, dry matter intakes of juniper and live oak were significantly lower than those of alfalfa and Coastal bermudagrass hays. We conclude that both ashe juniper and live oak foliage can provide nutrients for goats but only as portions of diets.