Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology

Jemimah, E.R., Gnanaraj, P.T., Sivakumar, T., Gopinathan, A., Sundaram, S.M. and Venkataramanan R. 2023. Effect of hydroponic maize fodder on the reproductive performance of Tellicherry does. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology, 23: 87–95.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding hydroponic maize fodder on the reproductive performance of Tellicherry doe kids. The diets as control (100% concentrate mixture), treatment 1 and treatment 2 (where 25 and 50% concentrate CP was replaced by hydroponic maize fodder) were formulated. The doe kids supplemented with hydroponic maize fodder attained puberty earlier with better estrus intensity score; had better fertility/conception rate with higher weight at kidding. Further, the kids born to the does of treatment 2 had higher birth weight, girth, forelimb and hind limb measurements. However, all the experimental kids had similar weight at puberty, prolificacy rate, fecundity rate, kidding rate, per cent multiple births, twinning percentage, triplet percentage and crown-rump length of kids born. To conclude, hydroponic maize fodder can be used to replace concentrate protein upto 50% level for optimal reproductive performance in doe kids.