Abstract

Twenty-four weaned crossbred male goats (Bachthao x local female) with initial live weights of 9.9 (0.73) kg were used in an experiment to evaluate the effect of four different diets on intake. The diets were composed ofMelastoma affine foliage fed ad libitum supplemented with cassava hay at four levels: 0, 15, 30 and 45% of an expected dry matter (DM) intake of 3% of body weight (BW). Cassava chips were added to all diets in the same amount, 70 g DM/goat/day and the experiment lasted 90 days. Feed intake, crude protein (CP) intake, and also live weight gain on the diet without cassava hay supplement was lowest (2.5% of BW, 26 and 6 g/day, respectively). The goats consuming 300 g Melastoma/kg DM had the highest feed intake and daily weight gain (2.8% of BW and 48 g/day, respectively). In digestible experiment, the digestibility of CP was significantly higher in the diet consisting of 450 g cassava hay/kg DM as compared to the Melastoma foliage diet without cassava hay supplement. Feeding Melastoma foliage and cassava hay decreased the number of Nematoda eggs and Coccidia oocysts in the faeces. In conclusion, goats consuming a diet containing 480 g cassava hay and 300 g Melastoma foliage per kg DM had the highest intake of DM and CP, the highest daily weight gain and the lowest number of parasite eggs in the faeces.

Key words: Melastoma affine foliage, cassava hay, digestibility, feed intake, growth, goats, parasites.