Performance of Dairy Goats to Alfalfa Silage Based Diets Supplemented with Different Sources of Carbohydrates

Performance of Dairy Goats to Alfalfa Silage Based Diets Supplemented with Different Sources of Carbohydrates

Lactating Saanen dairy goats fed alfalfa silage (AS) based diets in four 4x4 Latin Square designed experiment were studied for the effects of supplementation of three different type of carbohydrates (wheat grain, (W); sorghum grain, (SG) and dry citrus pulp, (DCP)) on milk yield, composition and chewing activities. Sixteen does (45± 10 DIM and 2.016 kg ± 0.48 4% FCM) housed indoors in individual pens in a four 4x4 experiment were fed four diets 1) AS (33.9%DM, 19.9%CP, 44.01%NDF); 2) ASW (52.4%DM, 19.8%CP, 33.7%NDF); 3) ASSG (50.9%DM, 17.9%CP, 37%NDF), 4) ASDCP (52.5%DM, 16.12%CP, 39.1%NDF) with forage-to-concentrate ratios of 100:0 or 65:35, 67:33 and 64:36 respectively. Intake of AS DM (2.78%BW) was different (P< 0.05) from the other treatments (average 3.53 ±0.07 %BW). Chewing efficiency (min/g NDF per kg BW ^0.75) decrease (P< 0.05) as a result of AS substitution or concentrate supplementation without effect (P> 0.05) of carbohydrate type or dietary level of NDF. Milk, 4%FCM and fat-protein-corrected milk yield was affected (P< 0.05) by concentrate supplementation. Either milk protein content (g/l) or yield (g/day) were not affected by treatments. Body weight changes appeared related to concentrate supplementation. Supplementation increase total DM intake, decrease forage DM intake and chewing efficiency and increase producing performance without changing milk composition.