Effects of a By-Pass Protein on Water Utilization by West African Dwarf Goats

Abstract

The utilization of water was investigated in 12 West African Dwarf goats (WAD) fed four diets which involved corn cob as basal diet supplemented with cotton seed cake (CSC) at 0, 25, 50 and 75% levels. Supplementation of corn cob with CSC increased (P<0.05) the dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intake and reduced water intake. The mean daily water drunk were 1030±241.22, 2052±305.69, 1485±167.88 and 1343±426.96 s (g/d) for treatments with 0, 25, 50, and 75% corn cob inclusion. This represented the largest and main source of daily water gain by the goats. The water produced was a result of increased metabolic activity associated with increasing levels of CSC.The main route of water excretion was through insensible means. The results showed that bypass protein encouraged higher DM and CP intakes, low water consumption, and increased production of metabolic water by the goat. Thus for WAD goats at near maintenance, nitrogen economy may be improved by water intake restriction.

JARD Vol. 3 2004: pp. 75-82