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Fiber Digestibility by Goats and Sheep¹

Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

A. Z. Mehrez

Department of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

ABSTRACT

Browse appears to be important in the diet of goats, but no good explanations or reasons are in the literature. Digestibility data on browse in goats are few. Semiarid natural tropical grass hay was consumed more by goats than sheep, but digestibility coeffecients were similar between species except for crude fiber, which was digested better in goats. Rice straw was consumed more by goats than sheep, and they digested it better than sheep. When rice straw was treated with alkali, its nutritive qualities improved and digestion between goats and sheep was similar. Goats appear to be better utilizers of poor roughages.

¹ Supported in part by grants from American Dairy Science Association, University of Delaware, US Department of Agriculture, and Agency for International Development No.:DSAN-G-0110 Project No.: 931-1155.11.