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Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2002 | Volume: 5 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 719-721
DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2002.719.721
Effect of Protein Supplementation to Grazing on Growth and Reproductive Performance in Female Goats and Sheep
F. Kabir, M. Shahjalal, S. A. Chowdhury, J. Alam and M. R. Islam

Abstract: The effect of protein supplementation was studied on growth and reproductive performance in female goats and sheep under grazing condition. Ten does and six ewes aged about 15 months and weighing on average 13.9 and 14.4 kg respectively were studied for 112 days. Animals were allocated to two feeding regimes [low protein (LP), 168g and high protein (HP), 208g per kg DM] according to live weight. Supplemental feed contained wheat bran, rice polish and soybean meal (LP-43: 43:14 & HP-35: 35:30, 300 g/d). HP diet non significantly (P>0.05) decreased the DM intake in goats. Moreover, significantly (P<0.05) increased live weight gain was observed in goats receiving HP diet. In contrast, sheep receiving the HP diet significantly (P<0.05 to P<0.01) improved DM intake and live weight gain compared with those given LP diet. Average birth weight of kids (0.85 vs. 0.75 kg) and lambs (1.10 vs. 0.83 kg) were higher in both species that received the HP diet than those given the LP diet. Subsequently daily average live weight gain in kids received the HP diet was higher (62.4 vs. 45.4 g/d) than those fed the LP diet up to weaning. These results showed that the effect of supplementing high protein to grazing improved the growth and reproductive performance of goats and sheep.

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How to cite this article
F. Kabir, M. Shahjalal, S. A. Chowdhury, J. Alam and M. R. Islam, 2002. Effect of Protein Supplementation to Grazing on Growth and Reproductive Performance in Female Goats and Sheep. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 5: 719-721.

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