On-farm Evaluation of Enset (Ensete ventricosum) Leaf Supplementation on Does’ Milk Yield and Composition and Growth Rates of their Kids

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Ajebu Nurfeta
Gashahun Bino
Girma Abebe

Abstract

On-farm study was conducted to evaluate the effects of enset (Ensete ventricousm) leafsupplementation on doe’s milk yield and composition and growth rates of their kids. Forty-eight pregnant does were randomly divided into four feeding groups of twelve animals pertreatment in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was further divided into threereplications of four animals per replications. The treatments were: grazing only (T1), 74 g +grazing (T2), 148 g + grazing (T3) and 220 g + grazing (T4) on dry matter (DM) basis of ensetleaf supplementation. Kids were allowed to suckle their dams during daytime up to 90 daysand milk was measured every morning after overnight separation of kids and dams.Increasing the levels of enset leaf increased (p<0.05) enset leaf DM intake. The crude proteinintake at a higher level (T4) was higher (p<0.05) than that of T3 and T2. Milk yield was higher(p<0.05) in the supplemented does than non-supplemented ones. The average milk yield(liter/day) was observed to be 0.37, 0.59, 0.50, and 0.45 for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively.Growth rates of kids from the supplemented does were higher (p<0.05) than the non-supplemented ones. The average daily gain (g) was 79.3, 90.4, 99.1 and 94.6 for T1, T2, T3 andT4, respectively. The highest (p<0.05) fat content was observed for T2 and the lowest for thecontrol (T1) goats. Protein content of milk increased (P<0.05) with increasing levels ofsupplementation. Supplementary, feeding improved milk yield as well as protein and fatcontents thereby enhancing the growth performance of the kids. It can, therefore, be inferredthat supplementation of does with enset leaves can assist in overall improvement in familyincome and also nutrition of the small holder farmers in general in addition to improving thegrowth performance of kids.

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How to Cite
Nurfeta, A., Bino, G., & Abebe, G. (2012). On-farm Evaluation of Enset (Ensete ventricosum) Leaf Supplementation on Does’ Milk Yield and Composition and Growth Rates of their Kids. Ethiopian Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 3(1), 1-18. Retrieved from https://journals.ju.edu.et/index.php/ejast/article/view/839
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Articles
Author Biographies

Ajebu Nurfeta, Hawassa, Ethiopia

School
of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, P.O. Box 222,
Hawassa, Ethiopia

Gashahun Bino, Hawassa, Ethiopia

Research and Development, Community Outreach Livestock Officer, Hawassa University, P.O. Box 5,
Hawassa, Ethiopia

Girma Abebe, Hawassa, Ethiopia

School
of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, P.O. Box 222,
Hawassa, Ethiopia