PERFORMANCE OF GOATS FED RATIONS CONTAINING WHOLE SUNFLOWER SEEDS

ABESTRACT
This study include a comparative milk productin trial and digestability trials to
evaluate the effect of inclusion of whole sunflower seeds in goat‘s ration. Thirty Zaraibi
goats of 4-5 years old and 41.041.19 kg average body weight were used for milk
production assessment and 9 Zaraibi bucks were used for digestability trials. Animal
were randomly distributed into three groups where all fed 50% concentrate feed
mixture + 50% berseem hay. Goats in group 1 served as a control group (G1); goats in
G2 and G3 were fed the control ration while whole sunflower seeds (Halianthus
annuus) replaced 5% and 10% of the concentrate feed part, respectively. The digestion
coefficients of DM, CP and NFE are slightly increased by adding sunflower but the
differences were not significant among treatment groups. There were no significant
differences between groups in ruminal pH, NH3-N and TVFA's values as a result of
experimental treatment during the same collected time. Milk yield was higher (p<0.05)
in G2 and G3 than in G1 . Addition of sunflower seeds in the goats‘ rations increased
(p<0.05) milk fat, protein and total solids while decreased lactose percent. Addition of
10% sunflower seed showed higher serum total lipid, triglyceride than those of 5%
sunflower seed or control with significant differences (P<0.05) during suckling and
lactation periods. The concentration of serum chlesterol was significantly lower in
treated groups than control group espesialy with 10 % sunflower. The goats in control
group had nearly the same mean serum glucose level compared to the other two groups,
while the serum glucose concentration was slightly higher in suckling period than lactation period in all groups.