Effects of cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) in total mixed ration diet on nutrient intake, milk yield and composition of dairy goats

Context Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) forage, containing cannabinoids, has been reported as a potential feed ingredient for ruminants with a positive impact on milk fat (g/day) at the highest cannabis level of 10%. However, it has no impact on the animals’ feed intake or milk production. Aims This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating different levels of cannabis into a total mixed ration (TMR) on feed intake, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), milk yield and milk composition in dairy goats. Methods Four mid-lactating Saanen dairy goats, aged 2–3 years with a body weight of 53.4 ± 0.6 kg, were randomly assigned in a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment over 60 days. The goats were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments, fed ad libitum, with inclusion levels of 0% (control), 10%, 20%, and 30% (dry matter basis) of cannabis, respectively. Key results Inclusion of cannabis sativa L. forage in the TMR did not affect dry matter and nutrient intakes on a per kg body weight basis among the treatments (P > 0.05). Goats offered a 10% cannabis diet had higher (P < 0.05) BW change, but diet did not affect BUN levels. Similarly, cannabis-containing diets decreased 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield, but had no effect on milk composition (g/day) (P > 0.05). Conclusion Mid-lactating dairy goats fed TMR with 10% cannabis foliage had higher BW gain. The inclusion of 10–30% cannabis foliage led to a significantly lower milk yield (P < 0.05) and 3.5% FCM yield. However, the milk composition (g/day) was not significantly affected (P > 0.05). Implication Results of this study imply that cannabis plants can be incorporated at up to 10% in a TMR for mid-lactating dairy goats. Cannabis foliage has a very high fiber component and a low palatability, thus more research is needed to improve the quality before feeding it to animals.