Performance of goat (Capra hircus) fed with Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) as Affected by Processing and Supplementation

This study was conducted to determine the appropriate basal diet and supplementation strategy and to evaluate the effects of different supplements on voluntary feed intake and nutrient digestibility of Napier grass offered as soilage and silage. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four blocks based on sex–period combinations, arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial treatment structure. Factor A consisted of two basal forage types: Napier grass urea–molasses silage and Napier grass soilage, while Factor B involved three supplementation strategies expressed as concentrate to mushroom substrate ratios (% body weight, dry matter basis): 1.0:0 (pure concentrate), 0.75:0.5, and 0.5:0.75. Each treatment was replicated four times. Experimental animals were subjected to a 30-day feeding period per block to assess voluntary intake and nutrient digestibility. Data collected were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were compared using the Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test.Results showed that Napier grass offered in silage form exhibited comparable voluntary feed intake and nutrient digestibility to Napier grass soilage. Furthermore, supplementation using mushroom substrates combined with concentrate at ratios of 0.75:0.5 or 0.5:0.75 % body weight (dry matter basis) produced intake and digestibility responses comparable to those observed in animals receiving pure concentrate supplementation at 1.25 % body weight. These findings indicate that mushroom substrates can effectively replace a portion of concentrate without compromising animal performance. The study highlights the potential of integrating mushroom substrates as an alternative supplement to improve feed efficiency and reduce reliance on conventional concentrate feeds.