Evaluation of feed resources for local goat production under traditional management systems in Golomoti EPA Dedza and on-station at Bunda Campus, LUANAR, Malawi

The on-station study was conducted at Sakhula, Bunda College (LUANAR), and on-farm in Golomoti Extension Planning Area (EPA). The objectives of the study were to assess constraints to goat production, to assess pre-weaning body weights of local Malawi goat kids, to analyze the nutrient content of selected tree and grass fodder species and to evaluate effect of feeding goats with Faidherbia albida pods and Gliricidia sepium based supplements on feed intake, growth rate and carcass quality. The results on constraints to goat production and pre-weaning body weights of local Malawi goat kids were based on a survey of 47 and 79 sample households, respectively. In Golomoti EPA, indigenous goat type was dominant (95.74%); natural grass formed a major feed resource (57.40%); the major disease was diarrhoea (59.6%). The majority of farmers (74.5%) had a shelter constructed for goats on the ground level and the main source of water was the river (91.5%) in wet season and (68.10%) in dry season. The on-farm flock monitoring study on birth weight, weekly body weight and pre-weaning average daily gain, used approximately 67 males and 56 females local goats owned by farmers, to evaluate the growth performance of kids grazing on natural forages with no supplementation. The study revealed that under farm condition, average birth weight of male and female local goat kids were; 3.11±0.04 and 2.49±0.05kg, with pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG) of 116.78±2.99 and 115.00±3.39 g/day, respectively. The diets used in the feeding study were; Diet 1= Grazing plus 410g maize bran (MB), Diet 2 = Grazing plus 405g Gliricidia sepium leaf hay plus 410g maize bran (GLM), Diet 3 = Grazing plus dry 405g Faidherbia albida pods plus 410g maize bran (FDM) and Diet 4 = Grazing plus 202.5g Gliricidia sepium leaf hay plus 202.5g dry Faidherbia albida pods plus 410g maize bran (GFM). Diet 1 had the lowest CP (109±1.99 g/kgDM) than the rest of the diets, while Ash, NDF and ADF in supplement diets were highest in diet 4 with 65.0±5.47, 339.0±9.61and 246.0±6.92 g/kg DM, respectively. For the selected common feed stuff, the mean CP content was highest with legumes and browse trees than grasses; 261.5±7.5 and 57±6.12 g/kgDM, respectively. NDF was highest in grasses (717±18.16 g/kgDM) than in legumes (450±56 g/kgDM. In the feeding trial, thirty-two intact local male goats with average initial live weight of 12-15kg, 7-8 months old were used. Eight goats were randomly allocated to each of the four diets. The study revealed that there was a significant (p<0.05) difference on daily supplement intake between diet 1 and the rest of the diets. Goats on diets 2, 3 and 4 had similar (p>0.05) daily growth rate. The supplemented goats attained better skin percentage gain which were 7.57± 0.34 and 5.69±0.24% in diet 4 and diet 2 for on-station and on-farm study than non-supplemented ones 7.15±0.19 and 5.03±0.98%, respectively. The percentage of some GIT and viscera, like heart, spleen and kidney differed (P<0.05) significantly between diets. The pre-dissection carcass measurements and proportions of quarters were affected (P<0.05) by fodder supplementation. Goats under diet 3 and diet 4 had dressing percent of 43.5±0.536 and 44.38±1.8% for on-station and on-farm, respectively. All in all, goats under fodder supplementation had better feed intake, growth rate, improved body condition and better carcass characteristics than unsupplemented goats.