Background:

Novel feeding strategies should be developed to produce high-quality meat in current goat production systems.

Objective:

To evaluate the effects of castration and the association of spineless cactus with sugarcane bagasse or elephant grass hay on nutrient intake, digestibility, performance, feeding behavior and carcass traits of feedlot kids.

Methods:

A total of 24 male kids (12 castrated and 12 intact), with an average initial weight of 18.5 ± 3.8 kg were allotted to a completely randomized 2 x 2 factorial design (sugar cane bagasse or elephant grass hay; intact or castrated), and confined for 70 days.

Results:

Nutrient intake and animal performance were similar between treatments. Sugarcane bagasse increased, when compared to elephant grass hay, the digestibility of dry matter (66.12 vs 62.88; p=0.005), crude protein (74.26 vs 70.95; p=0.029) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (91.94 vs 83.07; p<0.001). The forage source affected the time spent resting, ruminating and total chewing time, but there was no effect of diet on feeding and rumination efficiencies. Elephant grass hay increased, when compared to sugarcane bagasse, hot carcass weight (9.87 vs 10.79; p=0.025) and hot carcass yield (43.81 vs 46.87; p=0.013). Intact kids produced heavier hot carcasses when compared with castrated kids (10.80 vs 9.86; p=0.014).

Conclusion:

Feeding intact or castrated kids with sugar cane bagasse or elephant grass hay do not affect nutrient intake and performance. Feedlot goats have improved carcass traits if kept intact and fed elephant grass hay.

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