REPLACING CORN SILAGE BY ORANGE WASTE SILAGE IN LACTATING DAMASCUS GOATS RATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

2 The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands, ACSAD, Damascus, Syria

Abstract

The present work was conducted to study the effect of replacement corn silage (CS) by orange waste silage (OR) milk yield and milk composition, feed efficiency and some blood serum parameters. Eighteen dairy lactating Damascus goats, aged 3 – 4 years, weighed 30.60±0.2 kg and were in 2nd - 3rd season of lactation were divided randomly to three similar groups (6 goats each) to receive the experimental rations those contained: R1: 50% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + 40% corn silage (CS) + 10% rice straw (RS) (control). R2: 50% CFM + 20% CS + 20% orange waste silage (OS)+ 10% RS and R3: 50% CFM + 40% OS + 10% RS.  The experimental lasted for 120 days showed significant (P<0.05) fermentation characteristics of all silages during the ensiling period non-significant differences (P>0.05) were found among the three tested groups in all blood parameters but significantly (P<0.05) total antioxidants capacity in all rations. Averages daily milk yield were (1170.00g) for R3 compared (1110.90g) for R2, while (1090.80g) for R1. The same trend was noticed for the improvement in economic evaluation as result replacement corn silage by orange waste silage. It was concluded that replacement corn silage by orange waste silage to rations of lactating Damascus goats could improve their performance especially replacement of 100% corn silage by orange waste silage (R3) and without any adverse effect on productive performance and health.

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