Dry Matter Intake and Digestibility of Napier and Treated Rice Straw Diet in Goats

Abstract

Plant by-products such as rice straw can be utilized to optimize ruminant feed resources and productivity. This study aimed to determine the intake and digestibility of the basal diet (Napier grass) and treated rice straw diet in goats. A total of 16 heads of male and female Philippine native goats were used in the study. Experimental animals were arranged in randomized complete block design with four treatments and four blocks – weight and sex were used as bases for blocking. The treatments were the following: Treatment 1 (T1): 60% Napier grass + 40% untreated rice straw (control); T2: 60% Napier grass + 40% urea-treated rice straw; T3: 60% Napier grass + 40% fish amino acid (FAA)-treated rice straw; and T4: 60% Napier grass + 40% fermented plant juice (FPJ)-treated rice straw. The gathered data were dry matter intake (DMI), DMI as percent body weight (% BW), total and percent dry matter digestibility (% DMD), rumen pH and weight gain. All data were analyzed using the analysis of variance for RCBD. Comparisons of treatment means were determined using the least significance difference test. The results showed that DMI and DMI as % BW were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the treatments. Furthermore, total DMD and % DMD were significant (p < 0.05). FPJ treatment gave the highest DMI for rice straw. Moreover, goats fed with rice straw treated with urea, FPJ and FAA efficiently digested the diet compared with the control treatment.