Does a whole millet grain-based diet replace whole corn grain in non-forage diets for goat kids?

Abstract

Twenty-one Anglo-Nubian goat kids (21.6 ± 2.9 kg) were assigned to a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of different whole grain-based diets on performance, ingestive behavior, physiological parameters, and carcass characteristics. The experimental diets consisted of a control diet (CON), containing 10% hay and 90% concentrate, and two non-forage diets: a whole corn grain-based diet (WC) and a whole millet grain-based diet (WM), both composed of 20% commercial pellet and 80% the respective whole grain. The non-forage diets reduced dry matter intake (P = 0.002); however, crude protein intake was reduced only in the WC diet (P = 0.001). The CON diet increased fiber intake (P < 0.001) and resulted in the longest rumination time (P = 0.026), whereas the WM diet showed the hig