The effect of condensed tannins on goats’ body weight
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Date
2010
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Abstract
Tannins are one of the most common plant secondary compounds. Amongst the tannins are condensed tannins (CT), which occur nearly in every plant species browsed by goats. Condensed tannins have a potential to bind proteins, reduce the feed intake and consequently reduce the body weight gain of goats. The study was conducted in order to determine the effects of different condensed tannin concentrations on the body weight gain of goats.
The first experiment was conducted for three weeks in order to determine the effect of different condensed tannin concentrations in browse species. To eliminate the large chemical and physical variation in browse species and to have more control in feeding, the second experiment with artificial diets was conducted for four weeks. In each experiment, twenty-four goats were fed four different levels of condensed tannin-containing diets with six goats in each diet group. In the first experiment, a marginal negative relationship between condensed tannin concentrations and the body weight gain of goats was observed. There was no significant relationship between condensed tannin concentration and the browse intake, pellet intake and lucerne intake, protein intake, protein retention and protein loss by goats.
In the second experiment, a significant negative effect of different CT concentrations on the body weight gain, pellet intake of goats as well as on the protein intake, faecal protein loss and protein retention of goats was observed. Protein retention and faecal protein loss were all affected by CT concentrations and yet did not affect growth. However, feed intake was affected by CT concentrations and affected growth.
Studying the effects of condensed tannins using synthetic condensed tannins in the artificial diets is more informative than using condensed tannins in browse species. However, even condensed tannins in the artificial diets cannot explain the mechanisms which affect the body weight gain after consuming condensed tannin rich diets.
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Submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Animal Production at University of Zululand Department of Agriculture, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, 2010.
Keywords
Plant secondary compounds, Tannins, Goats