Effects of dried distiller's grains with solubles and poultry fat as supplements for bermudagrass hay-based diet on blood metabolites, growth, meat and carcass characteristic of Spanish goats.

Increased consumption of goat meat in the United States is primarily a consequence of influx of immigrants and health-conscious consumers about high fat and cholesterol intake with other red meats. Deficit in national production is partially compensated by frozen imports from New Zealand and Australia. Goats are raised mostly on pasture with seasonal variations in nutrient availability. On the other hand, the high cost of feed supplements (grains and soybean meal) limits profitability of goat production. On a unit weight basis, fats have more energy than grains or grain supplements. Dried distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS), a byproduct of the biofuel industry and rich in protein and soluble fiber, may be an alternative for corn and soybean, which are being diverted to biofuel production. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing corn with DDGS, poultry fat, or DDGS plus poultry fat on growth and carcass parameters of growing goats (6 mo old) consuming Bermudagrass hay-based diets. Treatments consisted of Bermudagrass hay-based diet supplemented with corn (Control), DDGS, poultry fat (PF), or DDGS plus poultry fat (DDGSPF). Animals were individually housed and fed 1 of 4 isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets once daily for 60 d. At the end of the 60-d feeding period, animals were processed after a 24-h fast. Collected data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using the mixed model procedure of SAS. When significant at P < 0.05, treatment means were separated using LSD. Results indicate that final weight and hot and chilled carcass weights were decreased (P < 0.05) when poultry fat alone was used to replace corn. Goats supplemented with corn had lower ruminal pH (6.97) compared with DDGSPF (7.30), DDGS (7.32), and PF (7.40 ± 0.036) but DMI (1.210 ± 0.042 kg) was greater compared with PFsupplemented animals (1.020 ± 0.042 kg). Total protein intake was not affected (P > 0.05) by supplement type (162 ± 0.11 g). Meat protein content was not significantly different (21.02 ± 0.22%). Blood glucose levels were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among treatments (70.70 ± 3.13 mg/dL). Ruminal ammonia nitrogen was higher in control (11.24 mg/dL) compared with DDGS (6.45 mg/dL), PF (3.30 mg/dL), and DDGSPF (2.59 ± 1.36 mg/dL) animals. These results indicate that DDGS and poultry fat can be excellent substitutes for corn in growing goats consuming Bermudagrass hay-based diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]