Rice polishing as an economic substitute to wheat bran as a supplement to wheat straw diet for lactating goats
Dutta Narayan*, Sharma K., Naulia Uma
Centre of Advanced Studies in Animal Nutrition Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243 122, India
Comparative performance of lactating does (n = 6) given wheat bran or different levels of rice polish in different supplements was ascertained in a 3 x 2 switch over design. The does were fed a basal diet of wheat straw ad libitum and supplemented with iso-nitrogenous concentrate containing either wheat bran (WBC), rice-polish replacing wheat bran to constitute 25% (RP-25) or 50% (RP-50) of total supplement to meet their requirements for maintenance and milk production. A small amount of green fodder (berseem/tree leaves) was also offered to take care of vitamin A requirement of goats. The total DM intake and digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF, and ADF were comparable among three groups. The nutrient concentration (%) and intake (g/kg W0.75) was also similar in the lactating does irrespective of dietary treatments. The intake of nitrogen (g/d) and total nitrogen output (g/d) were comparable irrespective of dietary treatments. All the lactating does remained in positive N balance. Though the does given RP-50 excreted loose faeces consistently, no such symptom was evident in does receiving RP-25.
The average daily milk production of lactating does g/day was similar irrespective of dietary supplements throughout the experiment. Similarly, the milk composition in terms of total solids, SNF, crude protein, fat and ash did not differ significantly in lactating does fed WB or rice polish incorporated supplements. Substitution of wheat bran with rice polish significantly (P<0.05) reduced the feed cost of goat ration. It is revealed that inclusion of commercial rice polish (25%) in the supplements for non-descript lactating goats may be an economical proposition.
