Production Responses of Goats to Corn Plant Silage from Different Varieties Cultivated in Rice Fields during the Dry Season

Abstract

HistorySeasonal feed shortages during the dry season present a major constraint to ruminant production in Indonesia.Corn silage is a practical solution to ensure consistent forage availability, but the performance of goats fed with different silage varieties remains unclear.This study evaluated the effects of corn-plant silage made from two varieties, Lamuru (a local composite) and Pioneer P32 (a hybrid), on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation profile, and growth performance of Kacang goats.Ten male goats (8-12 months old) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments consisting of 60% corn-plant silage and 40% concentrate.Corn plants for silage are cultivated in rice fields during the dry season.Feed intake, nutrient digestibility, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total volatile fatty acids (VFA), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed efficiency were assessed.Results indicated non-significant differences (P>0.05) between treatments for most variables, including feed consumption, digestibility, fermentation parameters, and production performance, except for ADF digestibility, which was higher (P<0.05) in goats fed with Pioneer P32 silage.These findings suggest that both corn varieties are suitable for silage production in rice fields during the dry season and can be used effectively in small ruminant feeding systems.

Access to Document

Other files and links

• Link to publication in Scopus
• Open Access Version Available

Fingerprint