The effect of alkali treatment of straw and dried palm-oil sludge on the intake and performance of goats of varying genotype

A comparison was made between three goat genotypes (100%, 75% and 50% Katjang), 4% NaOH treated and untreated rice straws fed ad libitum, and 4% NaOH treated and untreated dehydrated palm oil sludge (POS) fed at 20 g per kilogram liveweight (LW) per animal per day. A 1 kg supplement of Leucaena leucocephala was fed daily to each animal.

Average total dry matter (DM) intake and LW gain (LWG) was 48·1 g per kilogram liveweight per day and 33·4 g per day, respectively. Alkali treatment increased intake of straw (P< 0·001) and LWG (P < 0·05). Mean DM intake of straw was low, 3·8 g per kilogram liveweight per day. Treated-POS promoted lower gains (P < 0·05) than untreated-POS diets.

Mean apparent digestibility of DM, crude protein, crude fat and neutral detergent fibre was 61·8%, 64·4%, 82·2% and 61·2%, respectively. For most constituents, there were no significant differences in digestibility between alkali treated and untreated diets.

The 100% Katjang gave lower gains (P < 0·01) than crossbred genotypes. There were no signs of mimosine toxicity; mimosine in the Leucaena was 2·96% of DM.