<b>Body composition, protein and energy requirements for weight gain of ½ boer ½ mixed-breed goat kids on pasture</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v30i4.4798

Abstract

The objective of this work was to estimate the body composition and the nutritional requirements in protein and energy for the weight gain of ½ Boer and ½ Mixed-breed goat kids, during growth phase, on pasture in the semi-arid region. The work was developed at ‘Nupeárido’ farm, in Patos- PB. Twenty-four goat kids were used, with average initial body weigh of 15 kg, distributed into four treatments with increasing levels of concentrate supplementation (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of body weight). The animals, maintained under semiconfinement system, received feeding supplementation in individual stalls when they were gathered daily. Whenever one of the animals of each group reached 30 kg of body weigh, all other animals of the group were slaughtered after a 16-hour fast. The body composition varied from 185.3 to 184.0 g of protein; 53.0 to 120.2 g of fat and 1,642 to 2,356 kcal kg-1 of empty body. The net requirements in protein and energy on growing varied from 146 to 145 mg and 1.92 to 2.75 kcal g-1 of gain, respectively, for animals from 15 to 30 kg of body weigh.