Growth performance and apparent digestibility by goats fed diets with peach palm meal replacing maize

Abstract

Objective: In this research we evaluated the effects of diets containing peach palm meal (PP) as a replacement for maize (0, 10, 40, 60, and 85% DM basis) on intake, digestibility, and growth performance in wether goats. Material and Methods: Thirty crossbred Boer kids, 90 d old and initial BW of 16.7 ± 3.5 kg, were distributed in a completely randomized design with 6 replicates. Diets were supplied daily ad libitum to allow 10% leftovers. Three collections were performed every 28 d. Diets were isoenergetic and isonitrogenous; were composed of maize, soybean meal, PP, mineral supplement, and Tifton 85 hay; and had a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 30:70. Results and Discussion: There was a linear reduction (P < 0.05) in the intake of DM, OM, CP, NDF corrected for ash and protein, and TDN in grams per day and grams per kilogram of BW. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF corrected for ash and protein, and nonfiber carbohydrates decreased. The PP levels provided increasing ether extract intake and reduced the nutrient digestibility coefficients. For ADG, it was observed that for each percentage unit of PP added to the diets, there was a linear reduction of 0.8 g, and for feed conversion (F:G), there was a linear increase of 0.03 units. Implications and Applications: The use of this alternative feedstuff (PP), depending on the amount used, affects animal performance in response to palatability and fat and fiber composition, and PP is recommended as a replacement for maize up to 10%.