Effect of feeding fresh and frozen rumen fluid on the growth performance of goat kids

ABSTRACT

The effect of feeding fresh and frozen rumen fluid on the growth performance was studied in Tellicherry goat kids at Instructional Livestock Farm Complex (ILFC), TANUVAS, Chennai by assessing body weight and average daily gain. Twenty four numbers of Tellicherry goat kids of both sexes at 15 days of age were selected and allotted randomly to the following three treatment groups viz., T1, T₂ and T₃ equally of eight kids per group. Treatment T₂ and T₃ were fed with 100 ml fresh and frozen rumen fluid, respectively, once in 3 days for 120 days whereas kids in T₁ were treated as control. The final body weight (Kg) and average daily gain (g) recorded in T₁, T₂ and T₃ were 9.57 ± 0.33 and 61.19 ± 3.59, 10.79 ± 0.23 and 72.14 ± 2.90 and 10.69 ± 0.16 and 70.95 ± 1.69, respectively. Kids in the treatment groups T₂ and T₃ attained significantly (P < 0.01) higher final body weight and higher average daily gain than T₁. The results of the study revealed that feeding either fresh or frozen rumen fluid had resulted in improved growth performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Fresh rumen fluid
• frozen rumen fluid
• Tellicherry goat
• average daily gain

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dean, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai (TN) for providing necessary facilities during entire research work at this esteemed TANUVAS university. We are also thankful to Animal Husbandry Department, Tamilnadu for providing assistance during the collection of samples. The first author is also thankful to Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Madras Veterinary College for providing necessary financial assistance during the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.