EFFECT OF FEEDING AZOLLA (AZOLLA PINNATA) BASED TOTAL MIXED RATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND NUTRIENTS UTILIZATION IN GOATS
SAJJAN SIHAG, ZILE SINGH SIHAG, SUSHIL KUMAR AND NARENDER SINGH
Department of Animal Nutrition,
Department of Livestock Production Management,
College of Veterinary Sciences, LUVAS, Hisar-125004, Haryana, India
*(e-mail : chahar53@gmail.com)
(Received : 4 February 2018; Accepted : 5 March 2018)
SUMMARY
Sixteen crossbred weaned female kids (4-5 months) having body weight 12.82±0.65 kg were divided into four experimental groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) of four each. The kids subjected to different groups were fed for three months. The kids of control group (T1) were fed total mixed ration consisting berseem hay and concentrate mixture in the ratio of 60:40 to meet out the requirements as per feeding standards ICAR, 2013. In the total mixed ration (TMR) of kid’s groups T2, T3 and T4, the concentrate mixture was replaced with sundried Azolla on equi-weight basis at levels of 10, 15 and 20 percent, respectively. A metabolism trial was conducted after 30 days of feeding for 6 days including 2 days adoption period to determine feed intake, nutrients digestibility, nutritive value and nitrogen balance. Nutrient digestibility, body weight gain and dry matter, DCP & TDN intake in goat’s kids are not affected by replacing 15% concentrate mixture with sundried Azolla in their berseem hay based total mixed ration. Nutritive value of TMR in terms of DCP & TDN percent are not affected at 15% replacement of concentrate mixture with Azolla. Nitrogen balance was not affected up to 15% replacement level. There was net saving of Rs. 7.90 and 5.16, for feed cost per kg weight gain of goat by replacing concentrate mixture with Azolla. It was concluded that dried Azolla can be incorporated up to 15 % of the concentrate mixture of kids to economize the ration without any adverse effect.
Key words: Azolla, growth perfoemance, nutrients, goat