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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #355733
Research Project: Improved Practices to Conserve Air Quality, Maintain Animal Productivity, and Enhance Use of Manure and Soil Nutrients of Cattle Production Systems for the Southern Great Plains

Location: Livestock Nutrient Management Research

Title: The effect of condensed tannin-containing pine bark diet on animal performance, carcass traits, and anthelmintic activity in meat goats grazing on Bermudagrass

Author
item RYNOLDS, DESNATIE - Tuskegee University
item Min, Byeng Ryel
item GURUNG, NAR - Tuskegee University
item BOLDEN-TILLER, OLGA - Tuskegee University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2018
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective was to evaluate the effects of feeding condensed tannin (CT)-containing ground pine bark (PB) on animal performance, blood plasma metabolites, carcass traits, and anthelmintic effects in meat goats grazing on Bermudagrass (BG). Twenty-four Kiko-Boer cross male goats (Capra hircus; body weight (BW) = 36.9±2.5 kg) were randomly assigned based on a 2×2 factorial design arrangement with two different dietary treatments (Control vs. PB supplemented) and two sexes (buck vs. wether). The PB diet (as-fed basis; 3.2% CT DM) was mixed with 30% ground PB (<5 mm), 50% cracked corn, 10% alfalfa pellets, 5% soyhull, 4.5% molasses, and 0.5 % mineral mixes. The control diet (0.12% CT DM) was mixed with 50% ground BG hay, 30% cracked corn, 10% alfalfa pellets, 5% soyhull, 4.5% molasses, and 0.5% mineral mixtures. Meat goats in 12 BG pastures (6 buck vs. 6 castrated) received control supplement (no-PB) and goats in another 12 BG pastures (6 buck vs. 6 castrated) received a supplement of PB that supplied 1.2%/BW. Forage biomass and animal BW were measured every 2 weeks intervals. Fecal samples were collected at d 0, 30, 40, and 50 of the study for fecal egg counts (FEC). Blood samples (5 ml) were collected from the jugular vein for blood metabolites. Carcass characteristics were assessed after slaughter at the end of the experiment on day 55. All analyses were conducted using a GLM procedure of SAS. Feeding CT-containing PB diet had numerically lower average FEC (1333.3 vs. 820 FEC/g, P=0.14) compared to control, with castrated animals having lower (P<0.04) FEC compared to intact animals. There was no difference in initial and final BW, ADG, carcass characteristics, meat pH, and meat color between treatments; however, dressing percentage (DP; P<0.04), rack size (P<0.05), longissimus muscle area (LMA; P=0.07), and leg size (P=0.06) had increases in treatment by sex interactions, indicating that castrated animals within PB diet were increased those parameters compared to intact animals. There were no significant differences in meat pH and meat color of PB treatment or treatment x sex interactions except for castrated animals having higher a* values (redness) compared to intact animals. Blood plasma protein (P<0.05), glucose (P = 0.01), Ca (P<0.04), blood urea-N (BUN; P<0.05) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT; P<0.03) were higher for the PB diet than for control, but blood P (P<0.05) was lower for PB treatment group than for control. Results from the current study indicated that there were no detrimental effects of CT-containing PB diet on carcass production measured indicating that PB supplementation may be a viable option in meat goats for controlling internal parasites. In addition, castrated animals provided more edible product compared to intact animals since there were differences in carcass weight.