Tropical plant supplementation effects on the performance and parasite burden of goats

Effects of supplementing processed velvet beans (Mucuna pruriens L. DC. var. utilis) on nutrients intakes, growth performance, and blood profile in goats

Ruminant production in West Africa faces both qualitative and quantitative feeding constraints during the dry season and animal diseases in smallholder farms. High-protein legume seeds can represent an alternative and sustainable feed that could enhance animal performance. The use of legume beans, limited by their anti-nutritional factor contents, can be improved through different detoxification methods. The study evaluated the effects of processed velvet beans compared to raw velvet beans on the nutritive value of the beans, nutrient intakes, growth performance, and blood profile in West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Four diets were tested, including 22.22% of raw velvet beans (RW diet), soaked beans (SK diet), boiled beans (BL diet), or roasted beans (RT diet). Twenty WAD goats of 6.85 ± 0.93 kg of body weight were divided equally into 4 groups and fed one of the four experimental diets. The processing method affects the crude protein content of velvet beans; in particular, tannin content was reduced with soaking or boiling. Dry matter and nutrient intakes resulted significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the SK diet compared to the control. Daily weight gain was highest in SK and RT diets and lowest in BL and the control diets RW. Therefore, the FCR was highest in BL and lowest in SK diets. In addition, SK diet showed the lowest feeding cost (1046.70 XOF/kg WG in SK). Our study revealed that processed velvet beans obtained using simple methods (e.g., soaking, boiling, or roasting) could be used as low-cost protein supplements in smallholder farms to enhance goats' performance. The soaking method appears the simplest and cheapest process that smallholder farmers can easily use to enhance goats' productivity and improve their livelihoods.

Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Sericea Lespedeza Hay on Feed Intake, Digestion, Nutrient Utilization, Growth Performance, and Ruminal Fermentation and Methane Emission of Alpine Doelings and Katahdin Ewe Lambs

Twenty-four Alpine doelings, initial 25.3 ± 0.55 kg body weight (BW) and 10.4 ± 0.11 mo of age, and 24 Katahdin ewe lambs, 28.3 ± 1.02 kg BW and 9.6 ± 0.04 mo of age, were used to determine effects of dietary inclusion of Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) hay on feed intake, digestion, growth performance, energy metabolism, and ruminal fermentation and methane emission. There were four periods, the first three 42 days in length and the fourth 47 days. Diets consumed ad libitum contained 75% coarsely ground hay with alfalfa (ALF), a 1:1 mixture of ALF and LES (ALF+LES), and LES (10.0% condensed tannins; CT). The intake of dry matter (DM) tended to be greater (p = 0.063) for Katahdin than for Alpine (4.14 vs. 3.84% BW; SEM = 0.110). The dry matter intake was similar among the diets (3.97, 4.10, and 3.89% BW for ALF, ALF+LES, and LES, respectively; SEM = 0.134). The digestion of organic matter (75.3, 69.3, and 65.5%; SEM = 0.86), neutral detergent fiber (61.7, 50.5, and 41.4%; SEM = 1.49), and nitrogen (78.8, 66.9, and 50.8% for ALF, ALF+LES, and LES, respectively; SEM = 0.92) decreased as the dietary concentration of lespedeza increased (p < 0.05). However, there was an interaction (p < 0.05) between the breed and diet in nitrogen digestion, with a greater value for goats vs. sheep with LES (54.4 vs. 47.3%; SEM = 1.30). The digested nitrogen intake decreased markedly with the increasing quantity of lespedeza (38.0, 27.5, and 15.7 g/day for ALF, ALF+LES, and LES, respectively; SEM = 1.26). The average daily gain was greater for Katahdin than for Alpine (p < 0.001; 180 vs. 88 g, SEM = 5.0) and ranked (p < 0.05) ALF > ALF+LES > LES (159, 132, and 111 g, respectively; SEM = 6.1). The ruminal methane emission differed (p < 0.05) between animal types in MJ/day (1.17 and 1.44), kJ/g DM intake (1.39 and 1.23), and kJ/g ADG (18.1 and 9.8 for Alpine and Katahdin, respectively). Regardless of the period and animal type, diet did not impact methane emission in MJ/day or relative to DM intake, BW, or ADG (p > 0.05). The digestible and metabolizable energy intakes, heat production, and retained energy were not affected by diet (p > 0.05). In conclusion, future research should consider the marked potential effect of CT of forages such as lespedeza on nitrogen digestion and associated effects on protein status and other conditions that may be impacted.