TY - JOUR AU - Mupangwa, John AU - Washaya, Soul AU - Muchenje, Voster PY - 2022/09/13 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - Effect of legume hay supplementation on feed intake, growth, digestibility and volatile fatty acid production of Xhosa goats JF - Welwitschia International Journal of Agricultural Sciences JA - WIJAS VL - 3 IS - SE - Articles DO - 10.32642/wijas.v3i.1459 UR - https://journals.unam.edu.na/index.php/WIJAS/article/view/1459 SP - 37-49 AB - <p><strong>Abstract&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </strong></p><p>The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sex and supplementing <em>Chloris gayana</em> hay with either <em>Lablab purpureus </em>or<em> Vigna unguiculata</em> on growth, volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and apparent nutrient digestibility. Eighteen goats, one-year-old, of average live weight 14.13 ±0.24kg was apportioned in a completely randomized design to three diets which were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. Animals were housed individually with 6 animals per treatment composed of three males and three females. Total DM intake was higher (<em>P </em>&lt; 0.05) in T<sub>2</sub> (694.8 g/head/day) and T<sub>3</sub> (688.1 g/head/day) compared to T<sub>1</sub> (607.8 g/head day). The goats gained at a rate of 35.0g/d; 45.0g/d and 38.3g/d for T<sub>1</sub>, T<sub>2</sub>, and T<sub>3, </sub>respectively. Goats on T<sub>2</sub> showed a non-significantly higher (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) growth rate exhibiting total gain of 2.68kg compared to 2.08kg and 2.33kg for T<sub>1 </sub>and T<sub>3, </sub>respectively<sub>. </sub>Animals on T<sub>1</sub> (19.16) exhibited a significantly lower FCR (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) than T<sub>2</sub> (15.44) and T<sub>3</sub> (18.11). Apparent DM digestibility were significantly different (<em>P</em> &lt; 0<em>.</em>05) among treatment diets.&nbsp; Sex significantly influenced DM, ADF and NDF digestibilities (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). There were no significant (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05) differences in individual VFA molar concentrations among treatment diets and due to sex for acetate, propionate, valerate, iso-butyrate and iso-valerate. However, diets significantly influenced butyrate concentration (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) with 0.25, 0.95 and 0.25mM for T<sub>1</sub>, T<sub>2</sub> and T<sub>3,</sub> respectively. The percentage molar concentration for acetate was 75%, 73%, and 77% while the propionate concentration was 12%, 8% and 10.7 % for T<sub>1</sub>, T<sub>2</sub>, and T<sub>3,</sub> respectively. The acetate to propionate ratio was 6.2, 9.12 and 7.15 for T<sub>1</sub>, T<sub>2</sub>, and T<sub>3,</sub> respectively. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that Cowpea and Lablab forages can support growth in goats at the same level of CP as in commercial pellets.&nbsp;</p> ER -