Lablab purpureus SEED AS A SUPPLEMENT FOR GOATS FED LOW QUALITY ROUGHAGE

Young goats were fed low quality roughage ad libitum and supplements of insect-damaged Lablab purpureus (var. Highworth) seed fed at approximately 3, 6 or 12 g/kg liveweight (LW), or sweet lupin seed (Lupinus angustifolius var. Uniharvest) fed at 12 g/kg LW. Roughage intake was not changed by 3 or 6 g/kg LW levels of Lablab or by 12 g/kg LW lupin supplement, but was reduced (p<0.05) by 35% by 12 g/kg LW Lablab supplement. Organic matter (OM) digestibility was increased by all supplements, and digestible OM intake was increased by the 6 g/kg LW Lablab and 12 g/kg LW lupin supplements. LW gain and feed conversion ratio were not changed by 3 or 6 g/kg LW Lablab or the 12 g/kg LW lupin, but were reduced (p<0.05) by 12 g/kg LW Lablab supplement. It was concluded that young goats could efficiently utilize supplements of Lablab purpureus seed fed at levels of up to 6 g/kg LW. However, when 12 g/kg of the Lablab seed was fed, poor performance suggested that the goats were adversely affected by anti-nutritional factors which were not neutralized by rumen fermentation.