Influence of feeding vegetable residues on performance of crossbred kids

A 120 d trial was conducted to see the effect of vegetable residues based diets on the performance of kids. Eighteen crossbred (Alpine x Beetal) kids (5 m old of 15.34 kg BW) divided into 3 equal groups were offered either control diet G₁ (40% berseem hay, 20% oat hay supplemented with 30% concentrate mixture and 10% green fodder (berseem/lucerne), or oat hay in G₁ diet replaced by ash gourd peel (G₂) or berseem hay in G₁ diet replaced by pea pods (G₃). The replacement of oat and berseem hay with ash gourd peel and pea pods respectively had no influence on voluntary DM intake. The digestibility of nutrients was improved significantly (P<0.01) in kids fed vegetable residue based diet as compared to control. The N-retention was improved significantly (P<0.01)in treatment groups. All the animals were in positive N, Ca and P balances. The average daily gain in weight was comparable in all the groups, but feed conversion efficiency was improved significantly (P<0.05) in kids fed ash gourd peels based diet as compared to other groups. The study conclusively revealed that oat and berseem hay can be replace with ash gourd peel and pea pods in the ration of growing kids without any adverse effect on the nutrient utilization or performance of kids.