Effect of housing systems on the growth performance of crossbred goats *

Abstract

Growth rate feed conversion efficiency, DMI and CPI of 30 crossbred female kids (up to the 16-month-old) were studied. Kids (30) were divided into 3 groups of 10 each. Kids under 3 treatments were housed as: group 1 - concrete floor with concrete roof, group 2: kuccha floor with thatched roof: group3: raised-slotted floor with thatched roof. Body weight and DM intake of kids were recorded at fortnightly intervals. Housing and age of kids and seasons significantly affected the total DMI and CPI. The DMI and CPI through concentrate and green fodder gradually increased with the advancement of age of kids. The highest DMI and CPI through concentrate and fodder were in group 3 followed by group 2 and the lowest was in group 1 . The housing and age of kids and season significantly affected the DMI per kg body weight gain and the CPI/kg body weight gain with the best conversion of DMI and CPI into growth (body weight gain) in the third group. The housing treatments and seasons had significant effect on body weight of kid at each month of age except at 4 month of age of kid. The cost/kg body weight was lowest in third group and highest in first group. The fixed and variable cost analysis reveal that thatch roofed kuccha shelter was quiet economical than concrete floor with concrete roof shelter. The study concludes that raised-slotted floor with thatched roof shed is the best suited for crossbred female kids in terms of growth, feed conversion efficiency and economics. The kuccha floor with thatched roof shed has good practical economic significance and also better for crossbred female kids as compared to the concrete floor with concrete roof shed.