Performance of Lactating Desert Goats Fed On Molasses and Crop Residues Blocks in North Kordofan, Sudan

Abstract

his study was conducted in Sheikan locality (Attitudes 11⁰ 15’, longitudes 27⁰ 32’), North Kordofan state during March 8^th to April 11^, 2009 with the objective of studying effects of feeding molasses blocks on milk production and live body weight changes of lactating Desert goats and their kids. Twenty four goats at different parity and weighing 29.8 kg ± 0.39 kgs with single kids were divided into four similar groups of six animals. The first group was left on the natural dry season grazing (NG); the second on NG supplemented with molasses blocks formulated using groundnut haulms and the third group were offered molasses block containing sesame stalks (M+SS) and the last group was left on molasses blocks formulated of equal proportions of groundnut haulms and sesame stalks (M+H+SS). The supplements were offered in the morning and were consumed completely before offering the basal diet of natural grazing while water was provided unrestrictedly. The results indicated that voluntary dry matter intake was significantly (P<0.01) higher in goats that were fed NG supplemented with M+H followed by those supplemented with M+SS and M+H+SS while those on the NG consumed significantly (P<010) smaller amounts of feed. Milk production of the goats that were on supplementary feeding increased significantly (P <0.01) compared to those on M+H followed by the group on (M+H+SS) and lastly those on M+SS. Live bodyweights observations have shown that the group on molasses blocks gained Significantly (P<0.01) higher weight and were heavier at the end of the experimental period for those which were fed M+SS+H followed by those on M+SS and M+H which were similar. The goats on NG only lost 4.5kg weight during the experimentation period. Weight gain of kids was higher in those whose dams were supplemented with greater weight gains attained when dams were fed NG supplemented with M+H followed by those on M+H and finally those on NG only. The study concluded that goats on dry season NG supplemented with molasses block and crops residues could increase milk production and live body weight gains for dose and their kids and it was recommended that studies be conducted to evaluate effects of feeding goats for other purposes and investigate reasons for superiority of groundnut haulm over sesame stalk in enhancing weight gains and milk production.