Selection and composition of the ingested diet by goats fed <i>ad libitum</i> and restricted

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of the particle size on the selective habit of feedlot Moxotó and Canindé goats. Twenty-four non-castrated male kids (12 Moxotó and 12 Canindé) averaging four months and initial body weight of 15 kg were housed in individual stall, as a completely randomized design, in a 2x2 factorial arrangement with six replicates. Two feeding regimes were evaluated: 100% or ad libitum (AL) and 30% of the intake recorded for the animals from the AL group. The particle sizes of ration and orts were grounded through 1.700, 1.180, and 0.600 mm screens. Samples were collected during three consecutive days after 45 days of treatment. The particle size of orts was affect by the animal breed. Effect (P < 0.05) of breed and treatment on the diet chemical composition was observed. No effect (P<0.05) of feeding restriction on the composition of the consumed diet (% crude protein) was observed for Moxotó goats of control and 30% restriction treatments with averages of 18.1 and 17.4% CP, respectively.