EFFECT OF PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF CONCENTRATE FEED MIXTURE WITH MORINGA DRY LEAVES ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF ZARAIBY GOATS

The present work was carried out to study the effect of partial replacement of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) with Moringa dry leaves (MDL) at the levels of 5 and 10% in rations of Zaraiby goats on digestibility, milk yield and composition and body weight and mortality rate of their born kids. Eighteen Zaraiby goats with average live body weight of 39 kg and aged 4 years were used in this study starting from one month pre-partum to end of lactation (January - August). Goats were assigned according to live body weight, age and milk yield in previous lactation to three similar groups (6 does in each) and fed a ration consisted of 40% CFM + 60% berseem hay (BH). The first one was unsupplemented and served as control group (T1), while in the second and third ones, 5 and 10% of CFM was replaced with MDL for T2 and T3, respectively. Moringa dry leaves was higher in CP and EE contents, and so the contents of OM, CP and EE increased, however CF, NFE and ash contents decreased in CFM as well as in experimental rations with increasing the level of MDL supplement. Moringa dry leaves was rich in alanine, glutamic and tyrosine and have considerable amounts of arginine, aspartic, glycine, isoleucine, lysine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine and valine, however, it was poorest in cysteine and methionine. Does in T3 showed significantly (P<0.05) the highest digestibility coefficients of DM, OM and NFE followed by T2, however T1 had the lowest values. Moreover, the digestibility coefficients of CP and EE as well as TDN and DCP values were significantly higher (P<0.05) in T2 and T3 compared to T1. Average daily milk yield was significantly higher (P<0.05) for T3 (1115.55 g) compared with T1 (910.18 g), while T2 (990.48 g) was intermediate insignificant differences with T1 and T3. Milk composition and yield for all components (fat, protein, lactose, TS, SNF and ash) increased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing the level of MDL supplement. Goats weight increased gradually post-partum up to the end of lactation (6^th month), and the increase seems to be higher in T2 and T3 than that of T1. The higher values of total protein and its fractions (albumin and globulin) were detected in serum of does in T3, however the lower values of total protein and albumin were found in T1 and globulin in T2. However, ALT concentration decreased significantly (P<0.05) with feeding diets containing MDL. Total DM intake was nearly the same for the different groups, whereas, TDN and DCP intakes were significantly higher (P<0.05) in T3 followed by T2, while T1 had the lowest values. Does in T3 recorded the lowest DM, TDN and DCP per kg milk followed by T2, however T1 had the highest values (P<0.05). Birth weight of born kids tended to increase with increasing the level of MDL, while, body weight of suckling kids at 30, 60 and 90 days was significantly higher (P<0.05) for T3 than that of T1 and T2 was intermediate. Mortality rate born kids during suckling period was significantly lower (P<0.05) in T2 and T3 than T1. Total feed cost tended to increase, while, the prices of milk yield and body weight of weaning kids as well as total and net income and economic efficiency increased significantly (P<0.05) with increasing the level of MDL supplementation. The present study concluded that Moringa can be good quality feeds and therefore replaced CFM with Moringa leaves at the levels of 5 or 10% for Zaraiby goats improved digestibility, milk yield and composition, feed intake and conversion, economic efficiency and growth rate of born kids and reduced mortality rate during suckling period.