Effect of feeding of fodder beet (Beta vulgaris) on growth of Black Bengal goats under village conditions

The growth performance of Black Bengal goats reared under village condition of Jharkhand was studied for 3 months, followed by a metabolic trial of 7 days. Eighteen weaned male growing kids of 4 months of age were randomly assigned to three treatment groups (T1, T2 and T3) in equal number. Group T1 served as control having conventional feed ingredients, while fodder beet was incorporated at 50 percent and 100 percent (w/w) in groups T2 and T3, respectively, replacing maize. Body weight of all the kids was recorded at fortnightly intervals. Digestibility of nutrients, balance of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus, feed conversion efficiency and economics of feeding were recorded randomly. The differences in Dry matter (DM) intake as per cent of body weight in different groups also did not differ significantly indicating that intake satisfied their requirements for DM. The total consumption of feed was found non-significant. The digestibility co-efficient of CP, EE, CF and NFE did not differ significantly among the three groups. Results indicated that fodder beet had no adverse effect on the digestibility of various organic nutrients on the different diets of goats. Balances of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus were found positive in respect of groups, where as balances of N, Ca and P did not differ significantly among three groups.