Comparison of Growth Rate of Crossbred Goats on Different Rearing Systems

Abstract

Growth rate of crossbred kids were compared under different rearing systems during preweaning and post-weaning periods. During pre-weaning period, 12 newborn crossbred kids were randomly assigned to two treatments. The first treatment, five newborn kids, 2 males and 3 females, were fed with powder milk; while this in the second treatment, seven newborn kids, 3 males and 4 females, were allowed to be with their dams up to 3 month. Weight gains for treatment 1 and 2 were 4.78±0.58 kg; 5.32 ± 1.20 kg; respectively, while average daily gain were 53.10 ± 6.45 gm; 59.20 ± 13.31 gm; the difference was not significant. During post-weaning period, these kids compared under two different rearing systems i.e., stall vs. pasturing feeding. It was found that after 4 months of experimental period, weight gain and average daily gain of stall feeding were 4.90 ± 2.56 kg. and 53.84 ± 28.15 gm. Respectively. Where as for the pasturing system, weight gain and average daily gain were 6.31 ± 1.16 kg. and 69.38 ± 12.79 gm. Respectively. The differences between the two feeding systems were not significantly different.