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Cactus species and tree forage hay in the diet of dairy goats.

José Geraldo Medeiros da SilvaAndresa Pereira da SilvaGuilherme Ferreira da Costa LimaAdriano Henrique do Nascimento RangelGustavo José Azevedo Medeiros da SilvaLázaro Henrique de Medeiros SantosMárcio Raimundo de MedeirosJoão Paulo Bezerra SaraivaMichelly Fernandes de MacedoThiago Luís Alves Campos de AraújoDorgival Morais de Lima Júnior
Published in: Tropical animal health and production (2024)
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of the association of Opuntia stricta (OS) or Nopalea cochenillifera (NC) with Moringa hay (MY) or Leucaena hay (LY) on nutrient intake, ingestive behavior, serum biochemistry, and milk production and composition of dairy goat. Eight multiparous Saanen goats were used, with an average of 68 ± 8 days in milk and 48.5 ± 6 kg of initial weight, fed with the following treatment diets: OS + MY; OS + LY; NC + MY, and NC + LY. The treatments were distributed in a double Latin square, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme (two varieties of cactus and two of hay). Goats fed with NC had higher (P < 0.05) intakes of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and non-fibrous carbohydrates. There was no influence (P > 0.05) on milk production, but goats fed with OS produced milk with higher (P < 0.05) fat content and presented higher (P < 0.05) feed efficiency. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of the hay type on the nutrient intake and milk production and composition of goats, but the animals fed with MY had higher (P < 0.05) serum cholesterol levels and greater efficiency of NDF rumination. Goats fed with OS showed greater feeding and rumination efficiency. Our results indicated that both cactus species could be successfully included in the diet of low yielding dairy goats fed 18.4% concentrate.
Keyphrases
  • weight loss
  • physical activity
  • adipose tissue
  • weight gain
  • body mass index
  • amino acid
  • fatty acid