Browsing by Author "Smit, Hendrik Petrus Jordaan"

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    The effect of a natural feed additive, fenugreek, on feed digestibility and milk response in dairy goats
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) Smit, Hendrik Petrus Jordaan; Van de Vyver, W. F. J.; Cruywagen, C. W.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Animal Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Little research has been done on natural feed additives which enhance milk production in dairy animals. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum) is a member of the legume family and is found in India, Middle East, North Africa and South Europe. Fenugreek is used as an herb in traditional medicine to promote lactation in lactating women. It also influences the lactation performance in ruminants such as dairy cows, water buffaloes and dairy goats. Diocin is a natural saponin found in Fenugreek and has structural similarity to oestrogen, which leads to an increased release of growth hormone (GH) and ultimately milk production. Three different trials were carried out to investigate Fenugreek’s effects. Each trial consisted of three treatment groups where dairy goats were randomly assigned. Nutrifen®, NutrifenPlus® and a control treatment served as the three treatments used in this study. Forty-eight goats per treatment group were used in the first trial where the main objective was to evaluate Fenugreek’s effect on milk production and milk composition. The second trial consisted of eight goats per treatment group, where Fenugreek’s effect on the in vivo and in vitro digestibility of the feed served as the main objective of this study. In the final part of the study, growth hormone found in plasma was subsequently investigated using the same goats from trial two. Fenugreek’s effect on elevating GH levels was the objective from the third part of the study. The first trial showed promising results in terms of an increase in milk production (P = 0.01) from dairy goats using the Nutrifen® treatment and an increase in milk lactose (P = 0.03) using the NutrifenPlus® treatment. Blood cholesterol and cholesterol content found in the milk did not differ between treatments used. Apparent digestibility of the total digestible nutrients (TDN) from the feed did not increase and did not differ between treatments and therefore concluded that the dairy goats digested the different treatments with similar efficiency regardless of the additive added to the feed. Growth hormone levels found in plasma also did not differ between treatments used in the third part of the study. Variation was found in GH plasma levels and this was expected as GH levels are known to have variation within ruminants. It appears that Fenugreek used as a natural feed additive can increase the milk yield from dairy goats, which would be beneficial to the commercial dairy goat farmer. However, the process on how Fenugreek exerts its effect on milk production still remains unclear.