blood metabolites, growing kids, nutrient rich system, nutrient utilization, weight gain

Abstract

The study examined the effects of high and low input feeding system on nutrients ingestion, digestibilities, nitrogen (N) retention, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), metabolic hormones and economics of weight gain in growing kids. Eighty male beetal goats of 6 month of age were randomly divided into ten groups, eight goats in each group in completely randomized design. Nine isocaloric diets with varying crude protein (CP) levels with or without ionophores and probiotics were formulated. Diets containing 12, 16 and 20% CP were designated as low protein (LP), medium protein (MP) and high protein (HP) diets, respectively, while each of these CP diets when supplemented with ionophores @ 20ppm or probiotics (Yea Sec, 0.1%) were denoted as LPI, MPI, HPI and LPP, MPP,HPP, respectively. One group was fed berseem hay (FOD) only as a representative of traditional feed. The study lasted for 3 months. Higher dry matter (DM) and CP intake and digestibilities by kids fed LP, MP and HP diets were observed than those fed FOD diet. Similar trendfor DM and CP intakes were noticed by supplementation of ionophores or probiotics. Blood glucose, BUN, N balance, tri-iodothyronine and thyroxin concentrations were higher in goats fed LPI, MPI, HPI diets than those fed LP, MP, HP and LPP, MPP and HPP diets. Outcome of the study indicated that feeding growing kids on high input feeding system compared to, regardless supplementation of ionophores or probiotics, traditional feeding system increased nutrients intake, utilization, N balance and growth with better profit margin.