Economic benefit of inclusion of indigenous browses and tannin binders in growing Small East African goats’ diets

Abstract

A seventy (70) day feeding trial was conducted to determine the economic benefit of including indigenous browses and tannin binders in growing small east African (SEA) goat diets. To test the economic benefit of inclusion of indigenous browses, thirty (30) growing goats weighing 10.5 kg ± 1.3 (mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to the ten (10) experimental diets in a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement with three replications. The browse leaves were supplemented at 0, 15, 30, and 45% of the Acacia brevispica, Balanites aegyptiaca, and Berchemia discolor, respectively. For economic benefit determination of inclusion of tannin binders in indigenous browses, twenty-four (24) growing goats with bodyweight 10.5 kg ±1.3 (mean± SD) were randomly assigned to the Acacia brevispica, and Berchemia discolor diets with various levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and bentonite clay in a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement. Feed cost per kilogram of gain (192.2 KES/kg) was significantly (P