Approaches of Economical Feeding for Sustainable Sheep and Goat Production for Food Safety and Financial Security
Vijaylaxmi I.M. Kotresh Prasad C*., Gouri M., Patil V., Naveenkumar P.
*ICAR – KVK, Yadgir University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur
Veterinary College Bangalore, Karnataka Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Karnataka
Introduction
In the near future, due to increase in the world’s human population, it is predicted that there will be an increase and continuing demand for protein from foods of animal source for human consumption in most developing countries, particularly in Asia. The joint report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Paris based organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicts that by 2023, the world meat production will go up by 58 million tonnes with developing countries making up to 80% of that (Delagado et al., 1999).
Due to their numerous uses, sheep and goats are given special consideration among all other livestock species. Due to the lack of grazing pasture, one alternative for small ruminant rearing these days is the intensive approach. Due to the higher cost of feed and fodder, intensive systems of raising small ruminants are never financially viable. Therefore, it’s crucial to pay strict attention to feed expenses, weight gains, and the market value of the extra weight obtained. Rise in cost of feed ingredients is compelling the farmers to choose the unconventional and economical feed ingredients. With global food security at stake due to ever increasing price of conventional feed ingredients, it is necessary to formulate economic rations using un-conventional feed without adversely affecting the health and productivity of livestock (Prasad et al., 2015). In the year 2020 India is deficient of dry fodder, green fodder and concentrates by 23, 32 and 36 per cent, respectively (Singh et al., 2022).
Alternative feeding practices for improving the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) and proper utilization of the nutrients has become indispensable to achieve the higher body weight gains in sheep and goats. These alternative scientific procedures contribute to lower production costs, higher productivity and product quality, and the preservation of animal health. Sheep and Goats can be fed by economical feed resources like dried/ wet distillers grains, poultry carcass meal, Broiler goat feeding, Sweet potato, Maize cob, Cereals feeding, Moringa oleifera, Hedge Lucerne, CoFS – 29/31, Jackfruit leaves and fruits, Silage, Rice grains, Ragi silage etc.
Requirements of different nutrients for maintenance of adult sheep weighing 35 kg (ICAR, 2013)
| Nutrient (DM basis) | Requirement/day |
| Total DM | 900 g |
| TDN | 450 g |
| DCP | 45 g |
| Calcium | 2.4 g |
| Phosphorus | 2.0 g |
| Magnesium | 1.2 g |
| Common salt | 5.0 g |
| Potassium | 4.5 g |
| Sulphur | 1.5 mg |
| Copper | 8.0 mg |
| Cobalt | 0.2 mg |
| Zinc | 75 mg |
| Iron | 60 mg |
| Manganese | 30 mg |
| Iodine | 0.1 mg |
Utilization of distillery grains (DG) as a feed source for fattening lambs
The ethanol business contributes around 85% of the co-products that the biofuels industries create globally for use as animal feed, totaling close to 52 million tonnes (Popp et al., 2016). Wet grains and thin stillage are distillers’ leftovers from the biofuel production process, which involves the fermentation and distillation of cereal grains to make ethanol. About two thirds of the whole grain is made up of starch, while the remaining nutrients are concentrated three times more than in the original feedstock (Erickson et al., 2012).
Following fermentation, stillage is divided into distiller’s grains and distillers soluble, which amount to about 800 and 200 g/kg of wet distillers grains (WDG) on a dry-matter basis, respectively. Since distillers’ solubles are a significant source of protein and fat and also include phosphorus and sulphur, they are frequently added back to the distillers’ grain (Corrigan et al., 2007). Dry distillers’ grains (DDGS; 880–920 g/kg DM) with soluble are usually produced by drying the final wet distillers’ grains with soluble (WDGS; 300–350 g/kg DM). While DDGS can be kept and transferred to locations far from the ethanol plant, wet distillers grains are typically only carried short distances to adjacent animal operations.
DG is the co-product of ethanol production from maize and wheat with most interest to small ruminants rearing farmers, because they have the greatest potential for application as a feedstuff and has more practical implications for small- to medium-sized sheep producers. The viability of the farm is dependent on the growth and mortality of the animals, which are good indications of the farm’s economic health.
Wet distiller’s grain is a fermented product and bi-product of ethanol production, and has more practical implications for small- to medium-sized sheep producers. Raising lambs by feeding distiller’s grains with 20 % inclusion will be highly beneficial, economical in term of growth, health and cost of feeding under stall feeding system. (Vijaylaxmi et al., 2022).
Utilization of Poultry carcass meal as a feed source
Poultry carcass meal (PCM) can be one of the viable protein source because of its high protein content and indispensable essential amino acids. The chicken carcass meal is a sterile and economic unconventional feed source, which can be incorporated in the feed of ruminants replacing costly conventional protein sources (Ramesh et al., 2014).
Poultry carcass meal contains excellent source of supplemental protein with high calcium and phosphorus levels. The digestibility of protein is quite high and it passes through the rumen without being degraded (Kellems et al., 1998). Stock et al. (1981) had reported similar finding in sheep stating that feeding blood and meat meal may decrease the cost of protein supplementation, while providing lamb performance better than soya been based diet. Starter feed incorporating chicken carcass meal as the protein source was more economical than starter feed incorporated with soya bean and gingelly oil cake as the protein source during the post-weaning period.
Process of poultry carcass meal production from dead poultry birds
Poultry carcass meal
Broiler goat production system
Goats are often raised using a large-scale production system, grazing continuously on rangelands, and receiving little to no concentrate supplementation (Allegretti et al., 2012). As they affect the growth rate and subsequently the market weight and age of kids, low milk output and short lactation period of does are also significant obstacles for kids raising. Goat kids can attain a higher body weight at marketing by feeding the supplements at an early age, without incurring any penalty during early weaning (Paez Lama et al., 2014). The rumen makes up around 30% of the stomach capacity in new born goat kids, whereas the remaining compartments make up 70% (Ward, 2008). The size and functionality of the rumen, reticulum and omasum steadily increase when the pre-weaned goat kid begins to eat fibrous food. With this background, the broiler goat concept has been developed. Broiler goat production system is an intensive system of rearing goats to provide energy, protein and other nutrients in the required proportions by feeding semi -sol id concentrate diet up to three months of age (Prasad et al., 2016). Broiler goat feeding may not always be economical, especially on farms where high quality and quantity of forage is available.
Compared to the natural system of rearing, broiler goat production system increased the feed conversion ratio, average daily gain and body weight of Malabari male kids significantly. Broiler goat production system could produce significantly higher live weight of 15.26 kg by 12th week compared to 7.21 kg in natural rearing system. In this system of production the dressing % was higher and chevon produced was tender with less goaty odour. Though the cost of broiler goat diet was high, the cost benefit ratio of 1 : 0.176 compared to 1 : 0.151 in natural rearing makes it an economic system. The time and economic factors, viz-a-viz the improve quality of chevon makes this system a promising one for future perspective (Prasad et al., 2019).
Malabari male goat kids reared under broiler goat production system
Sweet potato – an excellent source of livestock feed
Ipomoea batatas, a dicotyledonous plant in the family Convolvulaceae, is the scientific name for the sweet potato. It is a perennial crop with tuberous roots that is primarily planted as an annual. It is also a short-cycle, high-yielding tuber crop. Due to the abundant source of starch, it holds a significant position among the root and tuber crops in India. Popular names for it include “Sakarkand” throughout all of India and “Metha Aloo” in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions. (Chakrabarti et al., 2014).
In tropical nations, sweet potatoes are an annual crop, and the vines and tubers make excellent sources of animal feed and can take the place of corn. It contains a lot of vitamins and protein. It is a good source of energy and abundant in vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, ascorbic acid, and carbohydrates (70 percent of which are starch). The concentration of phosphorus, iron, and potassium is also high. Animal development, milk production, and meat production are not adversely affected by the tubers or vines, which are a good source of animal feed. It can be harvested five to six months after being planted during the rainy season. The yield fluctuates between 30 and 35 t/ha. Without having a negative impact on growth, milk production, or meat production, the vines and foliage can be utilized as feed for the production of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and rabbits. It aids in reducing production costs for small farmers and effectively supports livestock with low milk and meat yields. In times of famine, it can also be utilized as silage. The silage and processed sweet potato roots can be used as suitable animal feed during times of lean period or draught. Sweet potato forage is cheaper forage crop and reduces the cost of live weight gain and influence the faster weight gain when mixed with sheep and goat feed. Even during times of scarcity when regular feeds are insufficient, it provides enough crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy to produce goat meat and milk production in tropical conditions. Additionally, it improves feed efficiency of the livestock due to high digestibility (Above 65 %). There are numerous sweet potato cultivars, including Sonipat-2, H-42, H-620, S-107, and Sree Bhadra, which are of high yielding quality. The vines grow extremely swiftly after being sown on ridges during the rainy season.
Sweet potato crop grown as fodder
Jackfruit leaves and seeds
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) belongs to Moraceae family (Rahman et al., 1999). It is a non-leguminous tree whose seed and pulp are edible (Siddappa, 1957). Cotyledons of jackfruit are having fairly higher amount of starch and protein. Jackfruit also contains calcium and thiamine (Singh et al., 2001). When compared to other popular forage crops for ruminant feed like Para grass (Brachiaria mutica) (Mui et al 2002), Napier grass (Maleko et al 2019), and Guinea grass (Oliveira et al 2020), this foliage has higher contents of dry matter (33.2 percent), crude protein (16.6 percent), and neutral detergent fibre (52.6 percent). Additionally, it also contains significant amounts of phenolic compounds, like tannins, and insoluble protein (Kouch et al. 2003).
The leaves of jackfruit were always well consumed by the animals and helped in better daily weight gain. Animal performance depends on the quality of the diet and on the level of the other supplements or the quantity of jackfruit leaves consumed. Jackfruit leaves can replace up to 25 to 50 % of concentrate in pasture or forage based rations (Das and Gosh, 2007). Compared to other ruminant animals, goats can consume a wider variety of grass. According to Van et al. (2005), goat diets incorporating with variety of foliage results in higher intake than feeding the single foliage.
Moringa oleifera (Drum stick tree)
For livestock farmers with limited resources, using fodder trees and bushes could be a feasible technique to improve the quality and accessibility of feeds during the dry season. According to Moyo et al. (2012), the trees offer a good and less expensive supply of protein and minerals.
Moringa oleifera (MO), a highly versatile and sustainable tree mostly cultivated in the tropics and subtropics (Kekana et al., 2019). It is an excellent source of protein (up to 35 percent of dry matter, DM), fibre (up to 28 percent of DM) (Makkar and Becker, 1997; Foidl et al., 2001) and is also helpful as a feed additive for animals (Babiker et al., 2016; Babiker et al., 2017). A promising source of bioactive compounds for the development of nutraceutical products and functional food production, MO leaves are sources of bioactive compounds in addition to their nutritional qualities, such as antioxidants, vitamins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, and are accessible at relatively low cost in resource-limited areas (Pollini et al., 2020).
In one of our experiments conducted at Yadgir district of Karnataka, the Moringa oleifera and Sesbania grandiflora yields 154.25 and 168.85 Yield/ ha (Ton) of biomass, respectively. Moringa oleifera and Sesbania grandiflora contains 21.35 per cent and 22.06 Per cent of CP, respectively. Goat kids of 3 months old fed with Moringa and Sesbania showed average daily gain of 96.88 g and 91.00 g, respectively.
Total Mixed Ration (TMR) feeding
TMR contains weighed amounts of all diet ingredients, mixed thoroughly enough to prevent separation or sorting. A blend of forages, commodities and supplements formulated to specific nutrient requirements and offered free-choice. The purpose of feeding TMR is to ensure that each mouthful of feed consumed by the ewe is complete and nutritionally balanced. There is no need of separate feeding of vitamins, minerals, additives or grains. There is improved production per unit concentrate and reduced digestive upsets (acidosis, off-feed, laminitis). Feeding is TMR is economical and more beneficial to the sheep and goats production.
Practically, a pelleted TMR is superior to an un-pelleted TMR, especially in feeding systems where the diet ingredients are provided separately rather than blended before feeding. The nutrient intake is more uniform if feed is pelleted because feed sorting is eliminated and the feed is properly mixed before pelleting (Leiler et al., 2005; Malik et al., 2021). The cost of on-farm labour can be decreased by feeding pelleted TMR because no forage handling or feed mixing is necessary. Feeding TMR pellets to fattening lambs enhances growth performance mostly due to an increase in feed intake. Pelletized TMR feeding is a practical method for intensive lamb fattening operations (Li et al., 2021).
Supplementing something than nothing with locally available ingredients will keep animals healthy and fetch profit.
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