Effect of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes supplementation on voluntary intake, availability of nutrients and growth performance in Black Bengal kids (Capra hircus)

A Growth experiment was conducted on fifteen weaned Black Bengal kids divided into three groups. Kids under control (T0) group were fed ad libitum Total Mixed Ration (TMR) prepared from concentrate mixture and green fodder @ 40: 60 (on a DM basis). Kids under T1 and T2 groups were supplemented with two levels of EFE (T1 with cellulase and xylanase @ 8000 and 16,000 IU/kg TMR DM and T2 with 12,000 and 24,000 IU/kg TMR DM). A digestion trial was also conducted during the last phase of the growth trial. The intake of nutrients, like DM, OM, CP, TDN, and DCP (g/kg W0.75) were significantly (P < 0.001) higher in enzyme-supplemented treatments. Supplementation of EFE also increased (P < 0.001) intake of DE and ME (Mcal/ kg W0.75) in Black Bengal kids. The differences in all the blood biochemical parameters and enzymes (glucose, total protein, globulin, albumin, urea, AST, and ALT) were non-significant (P > 0.05) among the three treatment groups. Average daily body weight gain (ADG, g/d/kid) was increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 7.00 % in T1 and 7.19 % in T2 over the control group (T0). The FCE (feed conversion efficiency) was also greater (P < 0.05) in both enzyme-supplemented (T1 and T2) groups compared to the control. The results depicted no additional advantage due to the supplementation of a higher level of an enzyme mixture. Therefore, it may be concluded that the sup-plementation of EFE @ cellulase 8000 and xylanase 16,000 IU/kg diet DM increased the intake of different nutrients and growth performance in weaned Black Bengal kids.