Effect of Herbal Anticoccidial Feed Mix Pellet on the Growth, Rumen Fermentation and Blood Metabolites of Barbari Goats

Effect of replacement of chemical anticoccidial with herbal mixture on growth, rumen and blood metabolites in Barbari goats was studied. Three types of complete pelleted feed with roughage and conc. (60:40) were formulated i.e. normal complete pellet (T1) with no addition, chemical anticoccidial pellet (T2) containing amprolium as feed mix and herbal anticoccidial pellet (T3) containing extract of Allium sativum and Artmisia as feed mix. Evaluation of these three pellets was carried out in 3–4 months old Barbari goats. An experiment of 120d feeding was carried out and daily feed intake, fortnightly body weight gain, blood parameters, rumen fermentation parameters, oocyst count (OPG) were studied. The daily dry matter intake (g) was similar (P>0.05) in all the group. The average daily gain (g) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in treatment groups as compared to T1 (control) group (40.41). However, statistically similar body weight gain (g) was recorded in T2 (53.52) and T3 (52.05) groups. There was no difference in ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen (mg/dl) among different groups, while higher total volatile fatty acid (mmol/dl) was observed in T3 (13.50) as compared to T1 (10.88) and T2 (11.02) groups. Similarly, significant (P<0.05) lower acetate to propionate ratio was found in T3 (3.44) as compared to T1 (5.50) and T2 (4.04). The level of haemoglobin (g/dl) and hematocrit (%) was lower (P<0.05) in control (T1) group (5.92, 18.46) as compared to T2 (7.28, 23.58) and T3 (8.50, 28.34) groups, respectively. It can be concluded that production parameters affected due to coccidial infection get improved by feeding of anticoccidial pellet containing either chemical or herbal anticoccidial mix. So herbal anticoccidial mix can replace chemical anticoccidial compound in feed pellet there by reducing the chemical residue in goat products.