Undegradable dietary protein limits growth and carcass yields in crossbred Boer kids fed Desmanthus hay or Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay supplemented with urea and/or cottonseed meal

Context

Low-protein tropical forages required protein supplementation, which might affect growth of meat goats.

Aims

This study was aimed to compare liveweight gain, carcass/non-carcass yields and meat quality in crossbred Boer kids fed isonitrogenous diets varying in undegradable (UDP) and rumen-degradable (RDP) dietary protein sources.

Methods

Twenty-five female crossbred Boer kids were randomly allocated into the following five dietary treatments: Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay supplemented with urea (U), urea plus cottonseed meal (UCSM), cottonseed meal (CSM), gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) (Gliri) or Desmanthus (Desmanthus leptophyllus) only (Desman). The diets were formulated to supply 135 and 195 g crude protein/kg DM for the two experiments. Experiment 1 lasted 78 days and the dietary UDP:RDP ratio (g/kg DM) was 35:102 (U), 37:100 (UCSM), 40:97 (CSM), 55:82 (Desman) and 46:91 (Gliri). Experiment 2 lasted 138 days and the dietary UDP:RDP ratio (g/kg DM) was 45:150 (U), 52:143 (UCSM), 58:137 (CSM), 83:112 (Desman) and 71:124 (Gliri) respectively. Data were subjected to one-way ANOVA and general linear model.

Key results

After 138 days of supplementation, the Desman goats had the highest liveweight gain (83 g/day) and heaviest cold carcass weight (12.1 kg) in Experiment 2. This was followed, in descending order, by CSM (58 g/day and 9.6 kg), UCSM (48 g/day and 7.8 kg), Gliri (41 g/day and 7.6 kg) and U (6 g/day and 6.0 kg). Heavier carcass weight was associated with larger eye-muscle area and fat depth at the 12th rib. Aus-meat Beef Colour Standard scores of 3–4 for the eye muscle of the Desman and CSM goats compared with scores of 1C-2 in the other goats meant that the darker meat in Desman and CSM diets was associated with heavier carcass weight and a more rapid rate of decline in carcass pH.

Conclusions

Crossbred Boer kids fed high dietary UDP had higher intakes of UDP, RDP, metabolisable protein (MP) and metabolisable energy (ME), even though an isonitrogenous diet was offered. The Desman kids had higher liveweight gain, heavier carcass yield, greater eye-muscle area, thicker fat depth and heavier mass of non-carcass components.

Implications

The higher liveweight gain and carcass/non-carcass yields for Desman goats than for others was associated with increased DM, UDP, RDP, MP and ME intakes.