Effects of Protein Levels in Total Mixed Rations on Feed Intake Digestibility and Growth Performance in Dairy Goats when Fed with Leucaena leucocepphala Silage as Roughage Source

This experiment aimed to study the effects of protein levels in total mixed rations on feed intake digestibility and growth performance in dairy goats when fed with Leucaena leucocepphala silage as roughage source. Eight goats (four females and four males) were divided into two groups (each group consisted of two female and two male goats). There were two treatment groups; T1 = 8.0% CP in total diet and T2 = 10% CP in total diet. Leucaena silage was used as a roughage source. The ratio between roughage to concentrate was set at 40:60. The results showed that protein level in mixed ration affecting the feed intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion had no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). When the goats were fed with total mixed rations (TMR) containing high and low protein, the feed intakes were 708 and 678 gDM/d, respectively. The average daily gain in goats that were fed with TMR containing high and low protein were 100.80 and 112.90 g/d, respectively (P>0.05), and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in goats were 6.96 and 6.57, respectively (P>0.05). Based on experimental data, it can be concluded that protein level in total mixed ration did not influence feed intake, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and nutrient digestibility in dairy goats fed with Leucaena silage as a roughage source.