Utilization of corn oil and zeolite to reduction methane gas and to increase propionate production to improve growth rates of local goats in Sub District East Kupang

The objective of this experiment was to assess the effect of corn oil and zeolite inclusion in the ration as an alternative strategy to increase growth rate of local goats. Twelve local goats with mean liveweight of 12.6 +- 2.84 kg were randomly allocated into 4 treatment based on completely randomized design. The treatments were RA = control ration + concentrate; RB = RA + 1.0 percent corn oil; RC = RA + 1.0 percent zeolite and RD = RA + 1.0 percent corn oil + 1.0 percent zeolite. Ration composition is listed in Table 1. Variable measured were dry matter intake (DMI) and digestibility (DMD), N retention, ration convertion, pH of the rumen fluid, rumen ammonia-N concentration, total and partial concentration of VFA in the rumen fluid, urinary allantoin concentration, and liveweight gain. The results showed that addition of corn oil and increase; DMI by 13.6 percent (682.2 vs 592.5 g/h/d), crude protein intake by 10.9 percent (66.9 vs 59.8 g/h/d), crude fibre intake by 10.6 percent (63.7 vs 56.9 g/h/d), energy intake by 10.1 percent (72.1 vs 64.8 Mcal/kg/h/d), DMD by 9.2 percent (65.1 vs 71.6 percent), N retention by 21.7 percent (6.4 vs 8.2 g/h/d), and propionate concentration by 38.1 percent (22.3 vs 35.9 mM) with score NPU 75.9 percent. pH of the rumen fluid ranged from 6.3 to 6.9 mM whereas concentration of rumen ammonia ranged from 6.9 to 7.2 mM and total VFA from 119.2 to 142.0 mM. There was a reduction in NGR (3.1 vs 2.9), and A/P ratio (2.64 vs 2.59 mM). Methane production was also reduced by 2 percent with hexose conversion efficiency of 81.8 percent resulted in 37.9 percent increased in hexose fermentation energy than control (31347.2 vs 50491.8 kkal). Inclusion of corn oil and zeolite also increased urinary allantoin concentration by 31.3 percent (25.7 vs 37.4 mg/100 ml), ration conversion by 59.1 percent (10.4 vs 25.4 g/g), and liveweight gain by 66.7 vs 70.0 g/h/d). In general, animal received corn oil and zeolite performed better than unsupplemented group. Thus, it is suggested to use corn oil and zeolite at a level 1.0 percent in the ration to improve productivity of local goats