Does a whole millet grain-based diet replace whole corn grain in non-forage diets for goat kids?

Abstract

Twenty-one Anglo-Nubian goat kids (21.6 ± 2.9 kg) were assigned to a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of different whole grain-based diets on performance, ingestive behavior, physiological parameters, and carcass characteristics. The experimental diets consisted of a control diet (CON), containing 10% hay and 90% concentrate, and two non-forage diets: a whole corn grain-based diet (WC) and a whole millet grain-based diet (WM), both composed of 20% commercial pellet and 80% the respective whole grain. The non-forage diets reduced dry matter intake ( P = 0.002); however, crude protein intake was reduced only in the WC diet ( P = 0.001). The CON diet increased fiber intake ( P < 0.001) and resulted in the longest rumination time ( P = 0.026), whereas the WM diet showed the highest ether extract (EE) intake ( P < 0.001). The WC diet altered the feed-sorting behavior of the goat kids and consequently showed the highest DM digestibility ( P = 0.042). The WC diet showed higher EE digestibility than the CON diet ( P = 0.025), whereas EE digestibility in the WM diet did not differ from that in the other diets. However, the WC diet reduced average daily gain ( P = 0.006), and slaughter weight ( P = 0.025), without affecting carcass weight, carcass yield, or leg tissue composition ( P > 0.05). Physiological parameters were not influenced by diet ( P > 0.05). Overall, WM can replace WC in non-forage diets, maintaining satisfactory performance, carcass characteristics, and leg tissue composition in goat kids.

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