The nutritive value of weeds under oil palm plantation and its effects on feeding preferences of katjang goats

This study was conducted to determine the effects of nutritive value of the weeds under oil palm plantation towards the weeding preferences by Katjang goats in Malaysia. Four Katjang goats were used in this. The goats were observed on their feeding behaviour of which type of weeds that they favour the most by calculating the number of bites on certain weed species as well as the time spent grazing on that weed. The goats were confined in smaller plots by the use of net electric fence for easier handling as well as plotting the area randomly. Time spent observing one goat is approximately fifteen minutes; when the time is up, the observation was shifted to another goat. The goats grazed for about three hours per day or until they have reach their satisfaction where all the weeds that they favours has been finished and all that left were the unfavourable ones. The samples of the weeds that the goats grazed on were collected and analysed for its content of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF). The results showed that the most favourable weeds by Katjang goats is Asystasia intrusa (Chinese violet) followed by Clidemia hirta (hairy clidemia) which are both broadleaves shrubs. The preference then goes with grasses such as Centotheca lappacea (barbed grass), Cyrtococcum accrescens (diffuse panic grass) and Ischaemum muticum (seashore centipede grass). The rest of the preferences are mostly ferns which are Stenochlaena palustris (giant fern), Nephrolepis biserrata (broad sword fern) and Adiantum latifolium, also one other broadleaves shrub, Chromolaena odorata (Siam weed).

Text FP 2017 106 - IR.pdf Download (1MB)

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