Comparative Study Among Boer, Damascus and Their Crossbred Goats: Performance, Digestion, Nutritive Values and Blood Parameters

Abstract

C rossbreed different types of goats specialized in meat or milk production can produce crossbred kids with high meat and milk production, to address the meat and milk production shortage in human consumption. This study focused on the comparison between Boer, Damascus, and its crossbred goats, from where nutrients digestibility, rumen fermentation, and some blood parameters. Eight from each growing Boer and crossbred goats were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) for a180 day feeding trial. Then, eight adult goats from each Boer, Damascus, and their crossbred fed the TMR, according to their requirement for 21day digestibility trial. There were insignificant differences in average daily gain between Boer and crossbred goats. The feed conversion of Boer goats was better than crossbred goats being 9.11 and 9.43 feed/gain, respectively. The differences between Boer and Damascus goats for all nutrients and cell wall constituents' digestion were insignificant except for dry matter and ether extract. Contrarily, the differences between Boer and crossbred were significant except nitrogen-free extract digestibility (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in nutrient digestibility between crossbred and Damascus goats. Rumen pH and ammonia-nitrogen concentration were not significant among the experimental group. Boer and crossbred goats recorded the highest total volatile fatty acids than Damascus goats. Damascus goats had high blood LDL, ALT and ALP values; the lowest were in Boer goats, crossbred goats had intermediate of TP, HDL, LDL, ALP, and ALT values. In conclusion, the productive performance of crossbred goats in this study was high as that of Damascus goats.