Author : Amores, Bernardo G.

Summary : In a randomized complete block design (RCBD), twenty five goats were randomly alloted to the following five treatments: Diet 1 - grass + 0.6 percent liveweight (LW) concentrate; Diet 2-grass + 1.2 percent LW concentrate; diet 3 - grass + 0.6 percent LW sesbania; Diet 4-grass + 1.2 percent LW sesbania; and Diet 5 - grass + 0.6 percent LW concentrate + 0.6 percent LW sesbania. The feeding trial consisted of a 30-day preliminary and a 100-day experimental periods. The goats were fed fresh 40-45 days regrowth star grass ad libitum. In vitro dry matter and organic matter digestibilities were significantly (P<0.05) higher with the diets containing concentrate in comparison with the diets containing sesbania alone. Total dry matter intake was similar among treatment means while crude protein intake was higher (P<.05) with higher supplementation level. Average daily gain was greater (P<.05) in diets 5 and 2 compared to diets 3 and 4. Diet 2, however, was not different from diet 1. Diet 3 was found less efficient (P<.05) compared to the four other diets. Daily and total feed costs and cost per unit of gain were different (P<.05) between treatment means. Diet 2 showed the highest cost in the three parameters. Sesbania supplementation at 1.2 percent body weight or 26 percent of the total dry matter intake may replace part, if not of all the concntrate.