COMPARATIVE FEED INTAKE, THEIR UTILIZATION AND WEIGHT GAIN IN MALE AND FEMALE STALL FED GOATS

摘要

The present study was undertaken to compare the performance of intensively fed male and female Marwari goats. Five animals of each sex of about seven months age were fed traditional ration for 50 days and a metabolism trial was conducted. Crude protein digestibilitv was significantly higher (P <0.05) in males. The digestibility of DM, OM, EE, OF and NFE were comparable between both sexes. Average daily gain (80.09 ± 5.18 g), nitrogen retention and concentration of toial volatile fattyacids were significantly higher in males. The feed cost per kg chevon in males (Rs 29.64) and females (Rs 32.98) was comparable. It was concluded that under intensive feeding, males grow lastcr than females.