Livestock Studies 1997, Vol 37, Num, 1     (Pages: 056-064)

The effects of whey supplementation on ruminal degradability of barley straw, rumen fermentation in Angora goats and Iive weight gain mohair yield and quality in Angora goat kids

Nurcan ÇETİNKAYA 1 ,Sabiha ÜNAL 2 ,Aziz ÖZTÜRK 3

1 TAEK, Lalahan Hayvan Sağlığı Nükleer Arast. Enstitüsü, 06852-La1ahan/ANKARA
2 T.K.B., Koruma ve Kontrol Genel Müdürlüğü, Bakanlıklar/ANKARA
3 T .KB., Lalahan Hayvancılık Araştırma Enst. Müdürlüğü, 06852-Lalahan/ ANKARA
- Two experiments were conducted in Angora goats consuming barley straw to determine whether supplements of whey effect ruminal fermantation characteristics (ruminal pH NH3-N and total VFA) ruminal degradation of straw live weight gain, yield and quality of mohair.

Three Angora goats (live weight 40-45 kg, 4 yr-old) fitted with simple rumen cannula were fed with Diet I (straw+concentrate), Diet II (Straw + whey + concentrate) and Diet III (alfaalfa hay+concentrate) in a 3 x 3 Latin-square design (Exp.1). Whey supplementation positively affected ruminal dry matter degradation of straw and ruminal fermantation characteristics. 39 Angora goat kids were used in feeding trials (Exp.2). Animals received straw+concentrate (Group I), straw + whey+concentrate (Group II) and alfaalfa hay+concentrate (Group III). Whey supplemented straw (Group II) and alfaalfa hay (Group III) resulted in similar effects on mohair yield and quality but significantly different from Group I (P<0.001). BW gain increased with whey supplementation (Group II). Whey supplementation in Angora goat kids positively affected productivity. Keywords :