EFFECT OF FENUGREEK SEED POWDER ON MILK YIELD, QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF KANO BROWN GOAT

Abstract

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of fenugreek seed powder (FSP) on performance and milk yield of lactating Kano Brown Goat. Twenty goats in their 1st and 2nd parity were used in the study. Treatments were T1 (0% FSP), T2 (5%FSP), T3 (10%FSP) and T4 (15%FSP). Lactating Kano Brown does were allocated to a treatment in a completely randomized design (CRD). The results indicated a significant variation among treatments in terms of Ash, Crude fibre (CF), Crude protein (CP), Carbohydrate, Dry matter (DM), Ether extract (EE), Nitrogen free extract (NFE) and Energy. A significant (P<0.05) variation existed among the treatments in the CP contents of 5.33, 7.10, 6.24 and 4.45%, respectively.T1 and T4 affected the ash content (P<0.05). Significant (P<0.05) difference existed between T1 and T3 for EE (8.55% vs 6.86%). The highest daily milk yield (237.5ml) was obtained from treatment T3. Among the treatments, milk amino acid profile evaluated showed a highly significant (P>0.05) difference. There was a statistical difference (P<0.05) in the values for
average daily weight gain (ADWG) evaluated in T2 (90.72g/d) and T3 (50.40g/d) and the values for dry matter intake (DMI) evaluated in T2, T3 and T4.. Increase in weight by kids from birth to week 12 in the treatments was observed. However, the higher weight gain was recorded in T3 (7.98Kg). It was therefore concluded that feeding diets containing fenugreek seed powder improved milk yield and its quality.