Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Ginger and Garlic Mixture on Performance of Ardi Goats under Stressful Conditions

Abstract

Background: Among the different range animals, goats can adapt and survive greatly under harsh environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using a mixture of garlic and ginger as supplementation to improve the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of Ardi goats. Methods: A total of twenty Ardi goats (40.35±1.8 kg) were assigned randomly into four experimental groups. The first group received a basal diet (control), the second to fourth groups were dietary supplemented with a mixture of garlic and ginger at the different levels of 20, 40, and 60 g/animal/day, respectively for 12 weeks. Result: There were no significant differences in the final body weight and feed conversion ratio of goats fed different levels of dietary supplemented of ginger and garlic mixture. The TDMI and daily DMI significantly reduced in groups fed diets supplemented with 20 and 40 g/animal/day than the control group. The digestion coefficients of CP, fiber fraction digestibility, and TDN values decreased in different groups. In conclusion, the addition of ginger and garlic mixture at the studied levels did not significantly affect animal performance and had negative impacts on feed utilization and nutrient digestibility.