Use of encapsulated calcium nitrate for growing goat kids

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, including methane, have been identified as the main cause for global warming. Because ruminant animals produce methane during ruminal fermentation, nitrate has been receiving attention as an alternative for draining ruminal H₂, which would be required during the reduction process of methane. In addition, nitrate is a non-protein nitrogen source. Bio-energetically, reduction in enteric methane production, could result in metabolizable energy, therefore, more energy would be available to the animal. However, nitrate use in goat nutrition is not well established, as well as putative residual effects on goat performance. Thus, this study was carried out to assess performance of goat kids fed encapsulated calcium nitrate. Twelve goat, weighing 13.5 ? 0.7 kg of body weight (BW) and 150 ? 30 days old, were distributed in a completely randomized design. Goats were assigned to two isocalorics and isonitrogenous diets (4.1 Mcal/kg dry matter, DM, and 13% crude protein), with encapsulated calcium nitrate (ECN) ( at 2% DM ) or without ECN. Diets consisted of corn silage, ground corn, soybean meal, wheat bran, soybean oil, mineral supplement and limestone. Feed was provided daily at 8:00 and 16:00 for 50 days. Intake, orts and water were recorded daily. Animals were weighed each 15 days. There was no difference (P > 0.05) between treatments (with or without ECN) on final BW (19.8 ? 1.10 kg, P = 0.08), average daily gain (ADG; 0.125 ? 0.01 g/day, P = 0.23), feed efficiency (13.6 ? 0.8%, P = 0.78) and water consumption (1.1 ? 0.2 L/day). The residual feed intake did not differ (P = 0.39) between treatments (0.0138 ? 0.0117 g/day). Thus, the inclusion of ECN in diets for goats does not jeopardize their performance, however further studies should be conducted to evaluate the impact of nitrate use on energy and protein metabolism of goats.