Nutrient Availability in Goats Fed Cotton Seed Hulls and Poultry Waste Based Concentrate Mixture

Two metabolism trials were conducted to asses the nutrient availability on 6 indigenous goats at approximately 14 kg (Stage 1) and 19 kg (Stage II) body weight, by feeding whole cotton seed hulls (CSH) as sole source of roughage supplemented with 300 to 400 g of poultry waste based concentrate mixture. The digestibilities of DM, CP, EE, CF and NFE were 51.9,52.8, 65.7, 55.8 and 69.2 % during stage I and 52.2, 54.8, 64.7, 58.6 and 68.0% during stage II, respectively. TSiere was no significant difference in nutrient digestibilities between the two stages. All the animals were in positive N, Ca and P balances. The DCP intake per 100 kg body weight and per kg w^0.75 were 0.26 kg and 5.20 g during stage I and 0.27 kg and 5.63 g during stage II, respectively. The TDN intake per 100 kg body weight and kg w^0.75 were 2.54 kg and 49.20 g during stage I and 2.63 kg and, 54.84 g during stage II, respectively. It was concluded that cotton seed hulls can be fed as sole source of roughage along with concentrate mixture containing poultry litter and droppings at 30 % level to indigenous goats.