The Effect Of Alfalfa Replacement With Sodium Bentonite And Corn Silage On The Fattening Performance, Blood Metabolites And Carcass Quality Of Fars Native Kids

In this research, the effect of alfalfa replacement with sodium bentonite and corn silage on fattening performance, blood metabolites and carcass quality of goat kids in a completely randomized design with using of three treatments for 84 days were examined. The treatments were included control ration (without corn silage and sodium bentonite), ration contain corn silage and ration contain corn silage and sodium bentonite. The results showed that replacing alfalfa with corn silage and sodium bentonite had no significant effect on feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Goat kids were fed with corn silage had the lowest amount of blood cholesterol (P<0.05). The highest hot carcass weight was obtained in goat kids were fed with control group diet (P<0.05). The lowest amount of abdominal fat was obtained in goat kids were fed with corn silage and sodium bentonite (P<0.01). The lowest feed costs per kilogram weight gain were obtained by replacing alfalfa with corn silage and sodium bentonite (P<0.01). Due to the lack of quality foragers because of frequent droughts and the necessity of using cheap food for the feeding of goat kids, adding of sodium bentonite (5%) to goat kids diet can be a good solution.