The aim of this study was to evaluate the intake, apparent nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, and intake behaviour of crossbred Boer goat kids fed with diets contain cottonseed cake. It was utilised 32 crossbred Boer goat kids, with average body weight of 16 ± 2 kg, distributed in a completely randomised experimental design, in four experimental diets, with levels of substitution of soybean meal by cottonseed cake, in 0%, 33%, 66% and 100%, respectively. There was no significant effect (p > .05) of cottonseed cake levels on the intake of nutritional components, except for ether extract that behaved in a quadratic manner (p < .05). The digestibility of the nutritional components and the nitrogen balance were not altered as a function of the levels of cottonseed cake in the diet (p > .05). The average daily weight gain and feed conversion were not altered (p > .05) by the amounts of cottonseed cake. Rumination efficiency (minutes/kg of NDF) and feeding frequency (number of visits to the trough/24 h) were not altered (p < .05) as function of the cottonseed cake levels, however, feeding, rumination, and idleness times, as well as the other feeding efficiency and activities frequency were not influenced. Hence, cottonseed cake can be totally substituted soybean meal in diets for crossbred Boer goat kids in feedlot, once it does not alter the productive performance, intake and digestibility of nutritional components and nitrogen balance of the animals.
Abstract. The cottonseed cake has the necessary nutritional characteristics
to be able to substitute the traditional ingredients (such as soybean meal)
and reduce the costs of the diet. However, it is necessary to determine the
best level of inclusion of cottonseed cake in the diets of fattening goats
to improve meat production and quality. The objective of this study was to
evaluate carcass and meat traits of feedlot goats fed diets containing
cottonseed cake replacing soybean meal (33 %, 66 % and 100 %). Thirty-two
uncastrated Boer crossbred goats (4 months old, 16 ± 2 kg initial body
weight) were used in a completely randomized experimental design. Replacing
soybean meal with cottonseed did not compromise (P> 0.05)
slaughter weight, carcass traits (dressing percentage, loin-eye area and
back-fat thickness), primal cuts or carcass morphometric measurements;
moisture, protein, or total lipid contents of meat; or the physicochemical
traits of color (L*, a* and b* coordinates), pH, shear force, and cooking
loss. However, there was a reduction (P=0.001) in the mineral matter
content (from 1.08 % to 0.97 %) and an increase (P=0.006) in the
cholesterol content (from 50.85 to 70.55 mg/100 g of meat) of the meat as
the dietary levels of cottonseed cake were increased. Based on the results
of production and meat quality, we recommend using cottonseed cake as an
alternative protein source to replace up to 100 % of soybean meal in
feedlot goat diets.
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