Sainfoin pellets for preventive parasite control and improved protein efficiency in dairy goats

Summary

Condensed tannins of the legume sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) are frequently associated with beneficial effects when offered as feed to ruminants. We hypothesised that offering sainfoin to dairy goats may improve the ruminal protein-efficiency indicated by lower urea and higher protein yields in goat milk and as well may lower nematode egg extcretion (EPG). Over a period of 7 weeks, in total 20 alpine goats were fed with 700g sainfoin (n=10) or 700g (n=10) alfalfa pellets daily. Milk protein and urea yield as well as EPG were measured regularly on individual basis. All animals were kept in one group, except for milking and pellet feeding and had access to pasture for approx. 5 hours daily. Intake from pasture or ad libitum offered hay was not determined. The concentration of condensed tannins in sainfoin and alfalfa was 4% and 0.3%, respectively. Crude protein content was 18.2% for sainfoin and 20.1% for alfalfa (corrected for 100% dry matter). Repeated measurement analysis could not reveal significant differences (p=0.148) of the EPG between groups, even though arithmetic mean of EPG in the sainfoin group was 18% lower compared to the control group. Also the total daily milk protein (p=0.700) and total daily urea milk content (p=0.410) per animal did not differ between treatments. Other studies often report a reduced nematode egg excretion if sainfoin was administered ad libitum. As a dose dependent effect for condensed tannins is assumed, the total amount of condensed tannins in our trial might have been too low to provoke any effect.