Effects of Concentrate Supplementation Levels on Milk Yields and Quality of Dairy Goats Receiving Ensiled Oil Palm Fronds as Roughage Source

Abstract

Raising of the dairy goat by using local feed ingredients as roughage source supplemented with some levels of concentrate might promote the goats to produce more milk yields and higher milk quality than of the conventional raising method. The research was conducted to evaluate the supplementation of concentrate at different levels on quantity and quality of milk and on blood metabolites of goats fed ensiled oil palm fronds (OPF) as roughage source. Four lactating goats of average 33.37 ± 4.81 kg of life body weight were used. The animals were confined in a 1.5*1.5*1 m.² experimental cage to receive ensiled OPF as roughage sources. Concentrate was offered to the animals at 4 different levels: 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75% of body weight (%BW) during 4 periods. Each period extended for 13 days with 10 days preliminary period and 3 days collecting period. The animals were rotated throughout 4 periods according to a 4*4 Latin square design. It was found that all measurement criterias, including yields, pH, specific gravity, fat, protein, lactose, solid not fat, total solid of the milk and somatic cell count were not significantly different across treatments (p>0.05). The blood parameters including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood glucose (BG) and hormone Triiodothyronine (T3) were also not significantly difference across treatments (p>0.05). The research result implied that ensiled OPF is a good roughage source for lactating goats. It can be used as solely roughage source for lactating goats without any supplementation.