Nutritional value, feeding behavior, physiological parameters, and performance of crossbred Boer goat kids fed butterfly pea hay and cactus pear meal

Aim of study: To evaluate diets with different proportions of butterfly pea hay (BH) and cactus pear meal (CM) on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, productive performance, feeding behavior and physiological parameters of crossbred Boer kids. Area of study: Northwest of Brazil. Materials and methods: 32 crossbred Boer intact male goats were distributed in a randomized block design, with four treatments with different proportions of BH and CM in the diets, partially replacing elephant grass on a total dry matter (DM) basis: 0% BH + 0 % CM as a control, 83% BH + 17% CM, 67% BH + 33% CM, and 50% BH + 50% CM. Each treatment group included eight animals. The experiment lasted 84 days preceded by 15 days of adaptation. Main results: Kids fed the control diet had the greatest intake of neutral detergent fiber, hemicellulose, water intake via food, time to feed and the lowest feed conversion (p<0.05) compared to BH+CM diets. Diet 83% BH+17% CM provided less digestibility of neutral detergent fiber, greater efficiency of DM intake and lower efficiency of DM and neutral detergent fiber rumination (p<0.05) compared to other diets. Diet 67% BH+33% CM resulted in greater digestibility of dry and organic matter, weight gains and longer (p<0.05) chewing time (seconds/ cud) compared to other diets. Diet 50% BH+50% CM showed lower (p<0.05) intake of acid detergent fiber, time for rumination, efficiency of ingestion of neutral detergent fiber and rectal temperature, and longer (p<0.05) idle times compared to other diets. Research highlights: Partial substitution of elephant grass with 67% BH and 33% CM increased digestibility and weight gain of crossbred Boer kids, without changing nutrient and water intake in the finishing.