Acacia Karroo Pods and Leaves as Major Feed for Fattening of Goats

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of using Acacia karroo pods and leaves for fattening of goats. The experiment was carried out at a farm in Mashava, an area located in Masvingo Province within latitude 20° 2´ 43˝ S and longitude 30° 40´ 29˝ E in the south-eastern part of Zimbabwe. Mixed dried leaves and pods of Acacia karroo were ground using a 2 mm screen and then included at levels of 0, 20, 60 and 100%, replacing ground maize in the diets. Weaned goats (n=64) were allocated in weight order to groups of four animals and randomly assigned to the four treatments in a randomised block design. Growth rates of goats fed with diet containing 100% A. karroo had higher (15.48 ±0.069 kg) final weight compared to any other diets followed with goats fed diet containing 60% of A. karroo and results showed significant differences (p<0.001) between treatments. Feed intake over all treatments was comparable with around 500 g day-1. Goats fed with control diet recorded highest voluntary feed intake of 504.5 g day-1 and lowest of 499 g/day was recorded from diet containing 60 % A. karroo. Goats which were fed with 60 % and 100% A. karroo had low feed conversion ratio (FCR) although the results show significant differences (p<0.05) among all treatments. Goats fed diets containing 0% A. karroo had the least average weekly weights as compared to all other diets. Average weekly weight gains for goats fed with 60 % A. karroo and 100% A. karroo diets rapidly increased in week 2 with those fed 100% A. karroo diets recorded a highest gain of 915.75 ±59.888 g and results were significantly different (p<0.001) between treatments. Farmers are recommended to use 60-100% A. karroo diets when pen fattening goats.