Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology

In order to assess the influence of on-farm supplementary feeding of concentrate pellets on growth, carcass traits and quality, 35 male Sirohi goat kids (60d old), divided in two groups were maintained either on 6h sole grazing (control; n=5) or grazing with supplementation of concentrate pellets at 1.5% of LW (supplemented; n=30). Experiment lasted for 140d followed by slaughter of five representative kids from each group. The kids of supplemented group had an ADG of 110g, which was 1.8 times higher (P<0.05) than the control. The supplemented kids had finishing weight of 25 kg vs. 12.08 kg in control kids. The slaughter and carcass weights and dressing percentages were 25.8 kg, 11.9 kg and 46.0%, and 17.5 kg, 7.4 kg and 43.0%, respectively, in supplemented and control groups, being higher (P<0.05) in supplemented group. Supplemented kids had improved (P<0.05) carcass traits, organ weight and had higher fat levels. Among non-carcass traits, blood, head and GI tract weights as % of slaughter weight were higher (P<0.05) in control kids, whereas other non-carcass traits were similar in both groups. The weights of cut portions viz. leg, loin, rack, and breast and shank, separated lean, fat and trim % and, meat: bone ratio were higher (P<0.01) in supplemented kids. The chemical constituents of Longissimus dorsi muscle were similar in both groups. Cholesterol content of the muscle was similar between two groups. It is concluded that on-farm supplementation of concentrate pellets at 1.5% of LW in growing kids improved growth performance, carcass traits and provided leaner carcass.