Abstract

KAMUPINGENE, G.T.  and  ABATE, A.L.. Nutritive value of goat diets in Okondjatu communal area of east-central Namibia. S. Afr. j. anim. sci. [online]. 2004, vol.34, n.5, pp.72-75. ISSN 2221-4062.

A study was conducted to quantify the nutritive value of most preferred and less preferred browse species by goats in Okondjatu Communal Area of east-central Namibia. The most preferred forages had a crude protein (CP) (mean 175.2 ± 5.2 g/kg DM) content ranging from 142.1 to 248.3 g/kg DM. Neutral and acid detergent fibres ranged from 309.0 to 530.3 g/kg DM and 225.1 to 366.0 g/kg DM, respectively. Total condensed tannins, with a mean value of 20.6 ± 1.0 g/kg DM ranged from 7.1 to 32.8 g/kg DM, while DMI (% of BW) ranged from 2.3 to 3.9. Low and high total digestible nutrients (TDN) values of 549.0 and 673.3 g/kg DM, respectively, were recorded for the preferred browse. Relative forage quality, which was 146.0 ± 22.4 units on average ranged from 101.1 to 207.3 units. The average CP, TDN and RFQ values of 152.0 ± 1.6 and 593.3 ± 8.6 g/kg DM and 140.8 ± 20.1 units respectively, for less preferred browse were lower than those of the most preferred species, while NDF and ADF values were within similar ranges. The mean TCTs value of 55.3 ± 1.5 g/kg DM in the less preferred browse is high compared to that of the preferred species. Generally, however, the TCT levels are within acceptable limits in ruminant nutrition. It was, therefore, concluded that the browse species are of a high feeding value and when used in, particularly, less extensive feeding systems in which forage plays a leading role in feeding ruminants, production impediments due to tannins would not be encountered.

Keywords : Nutritive value; browse; goat.

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