Effects of Dietary Azolla pinnata supplementation on growth performance and hematological parameters of post-weaned goat kids under intensive management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66817/p69hc291Keywords:
Azolla pinnata, goat kids, growth performance, hematological parameters, intensive management, livestock nutrition, sustainable feedAbstract
Good nutrition is essential for the proper growth, development, and health of goats. Azolla pinnata is an aquatic fern that is rich in protein, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients and may serve as a potential supplemental feed resource for livestock. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of dietary Azolla pinnata supplementation on the growth performance and hematological parameters of post-weaned goat kids under an intensive management system. Twelve male goat kids (n = 12), aged 5–6 months, were randomly assigned to three groups of four animals each. Group A served as the control and received a basal diet, while Group B received a basal diet supplemented with 100 g of concentrate mixed with 150 g of Azolla pinnata daily. Group C received a basal diet supplemented with 150 g of concentrate mixed with 250 g of Azolla pinnata daily. The experiment was conducted for 90 days, including the adaptation period. Body weight and morphometric measurements, including body length, height at withers, and heart girth, were recorded at fortnightly intervals. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were collected for analysis of hematological parameters and total serum protein. The results showed a gradual increase in body weight across all groups throughout the experimental period. At day 90, Group C recorded the highest final body weight (17.50 kg), followed by Group B (15.50 kg) and Group A (12.25 kg), with significant differences among groups (P < 0.05). Group C also recorded significantly higher body length, height at withers, and heart girth compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). Among the hematological parameters, erythrocyte count and mean corpuscular volume were significantly higher in Group C than in Groups A and B (P < 0.05). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed among groups for hematocrit, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total leukocyte count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelet count, or total serum protein. Overall, the findings indicate that dietary supplementation with Azolla pinnata, particularly at the higher supplementation level used in this study, was associated with improved growth performance and selected hematological parameters in post-weaned goat kids under intensive management. Further studies involving larger sample sizes and nutritionally controlled diets are recommended to confirm these findings and determine the specific contribution of Azolla pinnata to goat growth and health.
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