Performance and blood parameters when lambs and meat‐goat kids were finished on pasture with and without whole cottonseed (Gossypium hirsutum) supplementation

Abstract

We evaluated forage production patterns, weight gains and blood parameters when lambs (Ovis aries) and meat-goat (Caprus hircus) kids were finished on a mixed sward of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) with (SUP) and without (UNSUP) supplemental whole cottonseed (Gossypium hirsutum; WCS) in a replicated study. Botanical composition and energy/protein ratios of the sward varied with year and with time during the growing season. Swards had greater amounts of red clover relatively early and more cocksfoot later in the season. Suffolk (SX) lambs had the heaviest body weights, Katahdin (KA) lambs were intermediate, and meat-goat (GX) kids were the lightest at the end of each year. Overall body weight gain followed a trend of SX > KA > GX, and WCS supplementation increased weight gain for all animals by 18%. Only in 2008 did SUP animals have higher blood urea nitrogen levels, which may indicate less efficient use of dietary nitrogen when grazing grasslegume pastures managed for high nutritive value compared with UNSUP animals. Gossypol in WCS did not affect blood packed cell volume between SUP and UNSUP lambs and meat-goat kids. Suffolk lambs, Katahdin lambs and cross-bred Boer meat-goat kids finished on pasture with and without WCS supplementation produced desirable body weights for most ethnic markets in the USA.

Growth performance, carcass and non-carcass characteristics of Mubende and Mubende×Boer crossbred goats under different feeding regimes

“…Nonetheless, the increase in average daily gain (ADG) resulting from concentrate intake was considerable especially in the last 34 (56-90) days of the trial where growth rate of the supplemented goats was more than double that of the control goats. Meanwhile, the overall increase in ADG of more than 57% observed in both genotypes was higher than the 18% increment reported by Turner et al (2014) in Boer-crossbreds but similar to observations made by Haddad (2005) on growing Baladi goats fed varying proportions of forage to concentrate. The higher growth rate of M Â B crossbreds showed the genetic superiority of the Boer goat over the pure Mubende goat and this was consistent with previously reported results by Ssewanyana et al (2004).…”

The Effect of Extensive Feeding Systems on Growth Rate, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Finishing Lambs

“…Turner and others () evaluated lambs and goats grazing on mixed pasture (orchardgrass, red clover, and white clover) unsupplemented or supplemented with whole cottonseed. They found that supplementation with whole cottonseed increased Suffolk lamb carcass weights and rib area compared to unsupplemented animals, but for lambs of the Katahdin breed and goats no differences were found between treatments and this might reflect the higher consumption of the supplement by the Suffolk lambs than Katahdin lambs and goat kids (Turner and others ). Whole cottonseed and by‐products can be an alternative feed source of low cost (Paim and others ).…”