1Vanbandhu College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari-396 450, India
2Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary Sciences, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut-250 110, India
Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari-396 450, India
*Email: drnsthakur74@gmail.com
Online published on 1 July, 2022.
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of replacing basal diet of goat kids with 20% and 40% of Melia dubia Cav. drupe dry pulp to ascertain its effect on body weight, dry matter intake (g day−1), and growth rate, feed conversion ratio and economics of feeding. Twenty four goat kids (average 121 days old and 6.49 kg live weight) were assigned randomly to 0%, 20%, or 40% M. dubia dry pulp diets (8 kids diet−1). The study lasted for 90 days. Total mixed rations (TMRs) replaced by M. dubia drupe pulp (BF; Basal feed, 20% and 40% M. dubia drupe pulp) did not have any significant effect on body weight, dry matter intake, growth rate and feed conversion ratio by the kids of all groups. Inclusion of M. dubia drupe pulp in different TMRs of kids reduced the cost of feeding. Replacement up to 40% of normal ration with M. dubia drupe pulp was most economical. The investigation divulged that feeding is economically beneficial without any difference in growth performance and hence M. dubia drupe dry pulp could be a good alternative feed source.
Melia dubia, Pulp, Feed, Goat kids, Alternate feed, Small ruminants
