Effect of adding different levels of zinc to the diets on performance and growth of local female goat

Abstract

This study was carried out at the Abu Ghraib sheep and goat breeding station to study the effect of adding different levels of zinc (0, 15, 20 and 25 mg/kg. DM) which type of radians: concentrate diets 25% or alfalfa hay 75% in the performance of local goat females and some carcass characteristics of goat females. The animals were divided into four groups (T1) fed free of additives and T2 fed 15 mg zinc/kg.DM and T3 and T4 groups fed 20 and 25 mg/kg.DM of zinc. The results showed no significant effect of adding zinc to the diet on the total feed intake for all nutrients except the dry matter intake (g/ kg) that were increasing significant (P˂0.01) For all groups of adding zinc, Also the results showed that there were increase significant (P˂0.01) in some of the studied traits (total and daily weight and feed conversion ratio as well as the final weight of local goat females). The results also showed increase significant (P˂0.01) in some of the carcass characteristics (slaughter weight, empty body weight, warm carcass weight and the percentage of conversion based on body weight) compared with the T1 group.