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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 #355901
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 elevated protein supplementation and condensed tannin-rich peanut skin supplementation on animal performance, blood metabolites, and carcass traits in meat goats grazing winter forages

Author
item MCTEAR, KIRSTIE - Tuskegee University
item Min, Byeng Ryel
item GURUNG, NAR - Tuskegee University
item SOLAIMAN, SANDRA - Tuskegee University
item MCELHENNEY, WINDLE - 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: This study was conducted to determine whether the condensed tannin (CT)-containing peanut skin (PS) pellet and extra crude protein (CP) supplementation would have effect on animal performance, blood metabolites, and carcass traits in meat goats. Thirty-six Kiko-crossbreed intact male goats (Capra hircus) were randomly assigned (n = 9) based on a 2 ×2 factorial design arrangement with two CP levels (control; recommended CP vs. elevated-CP levels) and two levels of PS diets (non-PS vs. 0.45% PS/kg body weight (BW); 1.3g CT/kg BW). Goats in 18 winter wheat pastures received crude protein (CP) supplement (9 control diet (no-CP) vs. 9 CP) and goats in another 18 winter wheat pastures received a supplement of PS (9 control diet (no-PS) vs. 9 PS) for a period of 50 days. The amount of PS pellets diet fed to the goats was determined by calculating 1.5% of BW in goats, which was consumed up to 0.45% PS/kg BW or CT 1.3 g CT/BW, and was adjusted every 2 weeks according to the BW changes. The PS pellets contained 30% PS (as-fed basis), cracked corn (60%), soybean meal (5%), and alfalfa (5%). Control diet contained cracked corn (90%) mixed with soybean meal (10%; as-feed basis). Commercially available CP (CP 46%, crude fat 3.9%, and crude fiber 0.6 %; SurePro®, Purina Co., Ltd.) was used and fed at 0.25% of BW/day. Animal BW and average daily gain (ADG) were monitored every 2 weeks. Blood samples were taken at the end of the experiment. All analyses were conducted using a GLM procedure of SAS. The results indicated that animals on PS pellet supplemented group grow 38% faster ADG (243.27 vs. 149.0 g/day; P<0.001) when compared to non-PS supplemented control group, but there was no CP treatment by PS interactions. Goats receiving PS supplementation had increased (P<0.05-0.01) carcass weight, fore-saddle, and hind-saddle production. In the present study, there was no difference (P>0.10) in blood serum metabolites of goats, except for glucose (P=0.08), urea-N (P<0.001), P (P<0.01), and cholesterol (P=0.08), which were higher for no-CP group than for elevated-CP treatment group, while, alanine amino transferase (ALT; P<0.001) and P (P=0.07) were higher for PS-treated group than for no-PS group; however, all values were within the normal range for goats, suggesting that no liver damage occurred. In conclusion, addition of PS up to 0.45%/BW or CT up to 1.3g/kg BW have the potential to improve ADG and carcass production and had not adversely affected blood metabolites. The results also suggested that the high-quality winter wheat forage does not require any extra CP supplementation during the winter season for growing meat goats.