Veterinarni Medicina, 65, 2020 (07): 289–296 Original Paper https://doi.org/10.17221/106/2019-VETMED Effects of mesquite (Prosopis laevigata) pods as a potential feed material for kids Luz Pena-Avelino1, Ivonne Ceballos-Olvera1, Jorge Alva-Perez1, Jorge Vicente2, Juan Pinos-Rodriguez2* 1Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, México 2Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, México *Corresponding author: [email protected] Citation: Pena-Avelino L, Ceballos-Olvera I, Alva-Perez J, Vicente J, Pinos-Rodriguez J (2020): Effects of mesquite (Prosopis laevigata) pods as a potential feed material for kids. Vet Med-Czech 65, 289–296. Abstract: To evaluate the dietary inclusion of mesquite pods (Prosopis laevigata) on the growth performance, rumen fermentation, nitrogen balance, blood metabolites and carcass traits, 15 Creole goat kids (12.1 ± 2.8 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental diets with 0, 300 and 600 g of mesquite pods (dry matter basis). The study lasted 80 days. At the end of this period, the blood and ruminal fluid were sampled and the nitrogen (N) balance was calculated. The growth performance and feed intake were not affected by the mes- quite pods. The nitrogen digestibility, N absorbed, and N retained increased linearly (P < 0.05) with the increasing amounts of mesquite pods in the diet. The serum glucose and triglycerides were not affected by the mesquite pods, but the creatinine and uric acid decreased linearly (P < 0.05) as the mesquite pods increased in the diet. The highest (P < 0.05) rumen pH value, ammonia-N concentration, molar proportion of the acetate and the acetate : propio- nate ratio was found in the goat kids fed the diet with 600 g when compared to those fed diets with 0 and 300 g mesquite pods. Beneficial dietary effects of mesquite pods on the blood metabolites and N retention of the goat kids were found in this study; therefore, the dietary inclusion of mesquite pods at 600 g/kg can be used as a feed alternative for growing goat kids. Keywords: Capra aegagrus hircus; blood metabolites; feed intake; N excretion; rumen fermentation In arid regions, feeding conventional grains and used in diets for sheep without affecting the growth commercial concentrates to small ruminants is performance of sheep and goats (Mahgoub et al. unsustainable. However, use of unconventional 2005a; Mahgoub et al. 2005b; Obeidat et al. 2008; feedstuffs could increase the profitability for small- Kipchirchir et al. 2011). holder farmers. Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) is a tree Cook et al. (2008) determined that short-term that is well-adapted to the dry lands of America. It mesquite pod consumption does not induce toxic- produces sweet, yellow pods with reddish-brown ity in goats, but 600 g/kg DM decreased BW (body to dark purple tones. A chemical analysis has in- weight) changes due to the presence of secondary dicated that mesquite pods contain (per kg dry metabolites. Our research group (Negrete et al. matter) an average of 856 g of dry matter (DM), 2016; Pena-Avelino et al. 2016) found that 300 g/kg 329 g of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), 252 g of acid to 500 g/kg DM of mesquite (Prosopis laevigate) detergent fibre (ADF), 260 g of sugar, 78 g of crude pods can replace a large proportion of the conven- protein (CP), 41 g of ash, 21 g of fat, and 250 mg tional grains in the diets for finishing lambs and re- of tannins (Pena-Avelino et al. 2014). Feeding trials duce the feeding costs without affecting the health suggest that mesquite pods at 300 g/kg DM can be or growth performance. There are no previous 289 Original Paper Veterinarni Medicina, 65, 2020 (07): 289–296 https://doi.org/10.17221/106/2019-VETMED studies that evaluate the effect of 600 g of mesquite Table 1. The ingredients and chemical composition of pods/kg DM on growing goat kids. We hypothe- the mesquite diet sised that with the correct formulation, mesquite pods can replace conventional grains with no nega- Mesquite pods (g/kg DM) tive effects on the health and performance of the growing goat kids. Therefore, the objective of 0 300 600 this study was to evaluate the dietary inclusion Ingredients (g/kg DM) of mesquite pods on the growth performance, Corn maize 630 404 195 blood metabolites, rumen fermentation charac- Corn stove1 207 125 26 teristics, N balance and carcass traits of goat kids. Mesquite pods2 0 300 600 Soybean meal (440 g/kg CP) 162 170 178 Mineral vitamin premix3 1 1 1 MATERIAL AND METHODS Chemical composition Dry matter (g/kg) 935 952 939 The experiment protocols, under the super- Crude protein (g/kg) 147 150 151 vision and approval (NOM-062-ZOO-1999) of Ash (g/kg) 69 62 54 the Academic Animal Welfare Committee of the Neutral detergent fibre (g/kg) 237 247 263 Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, were con- Acid detergent fibre (g/kg) 158 153 190 ducted in compliance with the Animal Protection 4 Law enacted by Mexico. Metabolisable energy (MJ/kg) 12.5 12.1 12.1 Market price (US$/ton) 249 220 191 1Chemical composition: dry matter: 888 g/kg; crude protein: Pods, diets and animals 48 g/kg DM; neutral detergent fibre: 752 g/kg DM; acid detergent fibre: 390 g/kg DM; ash: 49 g/kg DM; metabolis- Mesquite pods were obtained from a goat farmer able energy: 7.5 MJ/kg; 2Chemical composition: dry matter: during the summer in Cerritos, San Luis Potosí, 950 g/kg; crude protein: 70 g/kg DM; neutral detergent fibre: Mexico (22°25’48.5’’N and 100°18’22’’W). The veg- 336 g/kg DM; acid detergent fibre: 211 g/kg DM; ash: 44 g/kg etation is mainly xerophytic shrubland dominated DM; metabolisable energy: 12.1 MJ/kg; 3Composition per by Yucca filifera Chab. and Larrea tridentata DC kg: Se 10 mg; K 215 mg; Fe 50 mg; Co 20 mg; Zn 50 mg; Mn Coville. The pods were air dried and passed through 1 600 mg; Cu 300 mg; I 70 mg; Ca 220 mg; P 280 mg; S 30 a rotating blade forage chopper to reduce the length mg; salt 845 mg; urea 102 mg; vitamin A 150 MIU/kg; vita- to 1 cm before mixing into the diets to ensure min D25 MIU/kg; vitamin E 150 IU/kg; lasalocid 1.3 g/kg; the proper mixing of the feed ingredients. Fifteen 4ME = metabolisable energy; calculated using NRC (1981) weaned male Creole goats averaging 80 days old and 12.1 ± 2.8 kg body weight (BW) were randomly as- Growth performance and N balance signed to one of three experimental diets (5 Creole goats per treatment) in a completely randomised The experiment lasted for 80 days preceded by design. The experimental diets contained 0, 300 and an adaptation period of 12 days. On arrival, the 600 g of mesquite pods per kg of diet (dry matter initial BW was recorded. The goats were housed in basis), respectively. The nutritional regimes were individual shaded pens (1.0 m × 0.90 m) and fed diets formulated to replace conventional feedstuffs and twice a day (08:00 and 15:00 h). The animal weight maintain similar protein and energy values for grow- was measured initially, then every ten days, before ing male goats (NRC 1981). The market price the morning feeding throughout the experiment. (Table 1) was calculated based on the 2018 prices The total weight gain was calculated by subtract- of the diet ingredients. A total mixed ration diet ing the initial BW from the final BW. The average was offered ad libitum to all the goats with free ac- daily gain (ADG) was determined by the total BW in- cess to fresh water during the study. The residual crease divided by the duration of the trial. The feed feed was collected and weighed to record the daily conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated as the amount consumption of the dry matter. The feeders always of feed consumed divided by the total weight gain. added 10% of the daily surplus food in accord with The pods and feed samples were dried at 55 °C the intake of each of the animals. to a constant weight for the DM determination 290 Veterinarni Medicina, 65, 2020 (07): 289–296 Original Paper https://doi.org/10.17221/106/2019-VETMED and ground in a Wiley mill to pass through a 1 mm grations were measured using a Spinreact creatinine screen. The samples were assayed in triplicate for kit (Creatinine-J; Spinreact, Spain). The absorbance the DM, crude protein (CP) (N × 6.25) and ash con- was taken at 492 nm. The glucose was determined tent according to the Association of Agricultural using the Glucose Oxidase-Peroxidase (GOD-POD Chemists (AOAC 2006). The neutral detergent fi- kit) enzymatic endpoint method. The colour inten- bre [NDF; Mertens (2002)] and acid detergent sity was proportional to the glucose concentration fibre (ADF) were determined by the Van Soest et al. in the sample, measured at 500 nm. The serum (1991) method and analysed using a fibre analyser urea was determined using the Spinreact urea LQ (Ankom A200, Ankom Technology, Macedon, NY, kit (Urea LQ; Spinreact, Spain) at 340 nm. The uric USA) with filter bags (Ankom F-57). For the NDF acid was measured using an enzymatic colorimetric analysis, the samples were treated with α-amylase test kit from Spinreact SA (Uric acid-LQ uricase- (Sigma A-3403; Sigma-Aldrich®, St. Louis MO, POD™ by Spinreact, Spain) following the manu- USA), and the neutral detergent solution con- facturer’s instructions.