the effect of a natural feed additive, fenugreek, on feed digestibility and milk response in dairy goats

117 Pages·2014·2.46 MB·English

THE EFFECT OF A NATURAL FEED ADDITIVE, FENUGREEK, ON
FEED DIGESTIBILITY AND MILK RESPONSE IN DAIRY GOATS
by
HENDRIK PETRUS JORDAAN SMIT
Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Animal Science in the Faculty of AgriSciences at
Stellenbosch University
Supervisor: Dr WFJ van de Vyver
Co-supervisor: Prof CW Cruywagen
December 2014
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
DECLARATION
By submitting this thesis/dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work
contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the sole author thereof (save to the
extent explicitly otherwise stated), that reproduction and publication thereof by Stellenbosch
University will not infringe any third party rights and that I have not previously in its entirety or
in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification.

DATE: December 2014
Copyright © 201(cid:23) Stellenbosch University
All rights reserved
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ABSTRACT
THE EFFECT OF A NATURAL FEED ADDITIVE, FENUGREEK, ON FEED DIGESTIBILITY
AND MILK RESPONSE IN DAIRY GOATS.
by
HENDRIK PETRUS JORDAAN SMIT
Supervisor: Dr WFJ van de Vyver
Co-Supervisor: Prof CW Cruywagen
Institution: Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University
Degree: MScAgric
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
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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.

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UITTREKSEL
DIE EFFEK VAN N NATUURLIKE VOERBYMIDDEL, FENUGREEK, OP DIE VOER
VERTEERBAARHEID EN MELKPRODUKSIE VAN MELKBOKKE.
deur
HENDRIK PETRUS JORDAAN SMIT
Studieleier: Dr WFJ van de Vyver
Mede-studieleier: Prof CW Cruywagen
Instituut: Departement Veekundige Wetenskappe, Universiteit Stellenbosch
Graad: MScAgric
Tot datum is min navorsing gepubliseer wat die invloed van natuurlike voer bymiddels op
melkproduksie aanspreek. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum) is ‘n peulgewas en kom
voor in Indië, die Midde Ooste, Noord Afrika en Suid Europa. Fenugreek word in tradisionele
medisyne gebruik om sodoende melkproduksie in lakterende vroue te verhoog. Dit verhoog
ook melkprodukise in melkkoeie, waterbuffels en melkbokke. Diocin is ‘n natuurlike
saponien, met sterk oestrogeniese strukturele ooreenkomste, wat in Fenugreek voorkom.
Diocin lei tot die verhoogde afskeiding van groeihormoon (GH) en uiteindelik ‘n toename in
melkproduksie. Drie proewe is uitgevoer ten einde die effek van Fenugreek te ondersoek.
Elke proef het bestaan uit drie behandelingsgroepe en melkbokke is ewekansig aan die
groepe toegedeel. Nutrifen®, NutrifenPlus® en ‘n kontrole sonder enige additief is gebruik
as behandelings. Agt-en-veertig bokke is per behandeling gebruik in die eerste proef. Die
doel van hierdie proef was om die invloed van Fenugreek op melkproduksie en
melksamestelling te bepaal. Die tweede proef het agt bokke per behandelingsgroep gehad
en het ten doel gehad om te bepaal wat die invloed van Fenugreek op die in vitro en in vivo
verteerbaarheid van die voere was. In die derde proef is dieselfde bokke as die in proef twee
gebruik en hier is groeihormoon vlakke in sirkulerende bloedplasma gemeet om die invloed
van Fenugreek op hierdie parameter te bepaal. Resultate van die eerste proef het getoon
dat melkproduksie van bokke wat Nutrifen® ontvang het betekenisvol verhoog het (P = 0.01)
terwyl NutrifenPlus® gelei het tot ‘n verhoging (P = 0.03) in melk laktose vlakke. Bloed
cholesterol en melk cholesterol vlakke was onveranderd. Skynbare verteerbaarheid van die
totale verteerbare voedingstowwe (TVV) van die voer het nie verander (P = 0.34) met die
insluiting van Fenugreek nie. Plasma groeihormoonvlakke was nie betekenisvol verskillend
(P > 0.05) tussen behandelingsgroepe nie en die gebrek aan verskille kan waarskynlik
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toegeskryf word aan die variasie wat binne behandelings groepe opgemerk is vir hierdie
parameter. Sodanige variasie in plasma groeihormoon word as algemeen beskou in
herkouers. Gevolglik kan aanvaar word dat die natuurlike voerbymiddel, Fenugreek, gebruik
kan word om melkproduksie in lakterende melkbokke te verhoog. Hierdie praktyk behoort
voordele in te hou vir die kommersiële melkprodusent. Die proses waardeur hierdie
verhoging plaasvind is egter steeds nie duidelik nie.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to acknowledge and thank the following persons and institutions for their support
and contributions upon completing this thesis:
 God, for giving me strength, guidance and motivation to finish this thesis.

 My mother Anna Victor and father Hendrik Smit for their love and support.

 My supervisor, Dr Francois van de Vyver, for his continuous input, support, critique
and guidance throughout the course of this study.

 My co-supervisor, Prof Christiaan Cruywagen for his guidance.

 Rob Moore from Living Energy for providing the treatments.

 Mr Donald Mouton and his staff at Fairview for all their help and assistance during
the trials as well as for hosting the trials.

 NRF for providing financial support in the form of bursaries throughout my post
graduate studies.

 Dr Donna Cawthorn and Jana du Plessis for their guidance and assistance with
analyses.

 Noël Markgraaff for technical assistance.

 The technical staff from the Department of Animal Sciences, University of
Stellenbosch; especially Danie Bekker, Beverly Ellis, Michael Mlambo and Jeanine
Booysen for their help with collecting samples and laboratory assistance.

 Prof Daan Nel and Gail Jordaan with their assistance with the statistical analysis of
the data.

 The Swanepoel and du Toit families for all their love and support throughout this
study.

 All my friends for their continuous motivation and long hours of conversation that
have helped me complete this study.
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NOTES
The language and style used in this thesis are in accordance with the requirements of South
African Journal of Animal Science. This thesis represents a compilation of manuscripts
where each chapter is an individual entity and some repetition between chapters has been
unavoidable.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION .................................................................................................................. i
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ii
UITTREKSEL .................................................................................................................... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................. vi
NOTES ............................................................................................................................. vii
LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. xi
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. xiv
Chapter 1 .............................................................................................................................. 1
General Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1
References ........................................................................................................................ 3
Chapter 2 .............................................................................................................................. 4
Literature review ................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 4
Goat breeds ...................................................................................................................... 5
Different dairy breeds used in South Africa .................................................................... 7
Milk production in general .................................................................................................. 9
The role of Growth Hormone in milk production ........................................................... 11
Dairy goat production and milk recording in South Africa ................................................. 12
Feeding and goat nutrition ............................................................................................... 14
Nutrient requirements................................................................................................... 16
Body condition scoring ................................................................................................. 19
Milk composition and milk solids ...................................................................................... 21
Somatic cell counts in dairy goat milk .............................................................................. 25
Feed additives used in animal nutrition ............................................................................ 27
Fenugreek as a natural feed additive ........................................................................... 30
References ...................................................................................................................... 32
Chapter 3 ............................................................................................................................ 42
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The effects of a natural feed additive on the milk production of
dairy goats. ...................................................................................................................... 42
Abstract ........................................................................................................................... 42
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 43
Material and methods ...................................................................................................... 45
Ethical clearance for animal use .................................................................................. 45
Animals used in the study ............................................................................................ 45
Forages and diet characteristics .................................................................................. 45
Treatments ................................................................................................................... 46
Duration of the trial ....................................................................................................... 47
Limitations .................................................................................................................... 47
Milk collection, composition and analysis ..................................................................... 47
Blood collection and analysis ....................................................................................... 48
Two week milk production ............................................................................................ 48
Statistical Analysis ....................................................................................................... 48
Results and Discussion ................................................................................................... 49
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 54
References ...................................................................................................................... 56
Chapter 4 ............................................................................................................................ 59
Fenugreek as a natural feed additive fed to dairy goats and its
effects on feed digestibility. .............................................................................................. 59
Abstract ........................................................................................................................... 59
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 60
Materials and Methods .................................................................................................... 62
Ethical clearance for animal use .................................................................................. 62
Animals and experimental design ................................................................................ 62
Forages and diet characteristics .................................................................................. 63
Treatments ................................................................................................................... 63
Digestibility trial ............................................................................................................ 64
Analytical Methods ....................................................................................................... 65
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