Nutrition of Range Goats in a Shrubland of Western India

The study was conducted at Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, located at 75° 28'N latitude, 26° 17'E longitude and 320 m above mean sea level.The climate is hot semiarid with mean minimum and maximum temperature of 8°C and 41.5°C respectively.Rainfall in the region is low, erratic and highly inconsistent.During 1999-2000, precipitation was very erratic with 97% of 581 mm (annual rainfall) being received during July to October months, and the remaining 3% in the form of short shower.Native range at the experimental station is occupied by a heterogeneous vegetation type of shrubs with an annual herbaceous under-storey.Prosopis cineraria and Zizyphus nummularia were the dominant shrub species and their leaves and fruit/pods offer potential source of foliage during winter and summer.The under-storey is occupied by Melilotus indica, Tribulus terrestris, Crotolaria burhia, Celosia argentea and Indigofera cordifolia grasses and forb species. AnimalsOne hundred female and 5 male Kutchi adult goats were grazed on 35 ha plot of native range.They were maintained on grazing alone, no supplementation was provided, except for the lopped foliage from the shrub.Kids born from these goats were also allowed for grazing on the same range plot after 3 months of age.