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| Figure 1. Growth rates of goats fed foliage of Melia azedarach and different levels of Mimosa pigra | Figure 2. Enteric methane emissions from goats fed foliage of Melia azedarach and different levels of Mimosa pigra |
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Livestock-Based Farming Systems, Renewable Resources and the Environment |
Abstract
Sixteen weaned crossbred goats (Bach Thao x local female) with an initial weight between 10 and 12 kg and 3 and 4 months of age were used to evaluate the growth rate and methane emission of growing goats fed by Melia azedarach and replaced by Mimosa pigra. The basal diet was Melia azedarach foliage fed ad libitum. The design was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 4 treatments: (i) without Mimosa pigra replacement; (ii) replacement of 0.5% of body weigh on dry matter basis, (iii) replacement of 1.0% of body weigh on dry matter basis and (iv) replacement of 1.5% of body weigh on dry matter basis.
There were no benefits on growth rate from supplementing Melia azedarach with Mimosa pigra (Figure 1). However, enteric methane emissions were 50% less when Mimosa was fed at the rate 10 g DM/kg live weight (Figure 2).
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| Figure 1. Growth rates of goats fed foliage of Melia azedarach and different levels of Mimosa pigra | Figure 2. Enteric methane emissions from goats fed foliage of Melia azedarach and different levels of Mimosa pigra |