Case Study 13: Design of an experiment to compare performance and meat quality characteristics of three Ethiopian goat genotypes under varying nutritional conditions

Study protocol/Feeding regimes

Now the diets.

The experiment also presents an opportunity to observe the effect of feeding regime on meat colour during storage.

Three feeding regimes will be used:

Low feeding regime: a diet to support a growth of 50 g/d (concentrate: roughage ratio, 50:50)
High feeding regime: a diet to support a growth of 75 g/d (concentrate: roughage ratio, 80:20)
Medium level: a diet to support a growth of 62 g/d (concentrate: roughage ratio, 65:35).

The ration will be formulated following nutrient recommendations for developing countries. The feed ingredients will be native pasture hay (as a basal roughage diet) supplemented with wheat bran, oil cake (agro-industrial by-products) as concentrates, and salt.

Goats will be housed in individual pens and fed individually daily. Individual feed intakes will be recorded daily by weighing both the feed offered and refused. Goats will have access to clean water and a mineral block.