Effects of ruminally protected choline on productivity of Angora goats

T. Shenkoru¹, F. N. Owens², R. Puchala¹, and T. Sahlu¹

¹E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research, Langston University, Langston, OK, and²Animal Science Department, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

Twenty-five Angora wethers (29 ± 6 kg initial BW and > 1 yr of age) were used to evaluate effects of ruminally protected choline (PC) on BW gain and mohair production. Animals were randomly allocated to five treatments and had ad libitum access to 53% concentrate diet (oats based, 13% CP) for 90 d. Treatments were 1, 2, and 3 g/d of PC, 3 g/d of unprotected choline (UC), and no added choline (control). In situ ruminal disappearance of PC was 7%, whereas disappearance of UC at 2 h was complete. Total tract digestibility of PC was 56%. Dry matter intake, BW gain, and feed efficiency were similar among treatments (P > 0.10), although numerically BW gain was 7, 13, and 17% greater for diets with 1, 2, and 3 g/d of PC compared with the control diet (83, 88, 91, 71, and 78 g/d for 1, 2, and 3 g/d PC, 3 g/d UC, and control, respectively; SE 18.5). Mohair growth (monthly patch samples) was similar among treatments (P > 0.10). Numerical differences among treatments in BW gain warrant further investigation of potential effects of PC on productivity of Angora goats.