Peanut skin in diet alters average daily gain, ruminal and blood metabolites, and carcass traits associated with Haemonchus contortus infection in meat goats()

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of tannin-rich peanut skin (PS) supplementation on growth performance, ruminal and blood metabolites, and carcass traits associated with internal parasite infection in meat goats under confined conditions. Twenty-one Kiko crossbred male goats were blocked by body weight (BW) and randomly assigned to one of 3 treatment groups. Experimental diets contained different levels of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) skin replacing alfalfa (Medicago sativa) pellets (ALP) in a control diet. Experimental treatments included: 30% ALP (control), 15% PS and 15% ALP, and 30% PS. Peanut skin was incorporated in the grain mix portion of the diets. Animals were fed once daily, and the intake was adjusted every 3 to 4 d. Each animal was each artificially infected with 5,000 larvae of the 3rd stage of barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus). Body weights, dry matter intake (DMI), and fecal samples for fecal egg counts (FEC) were taken at d 0, 12, 23, and 41. Rumen fluid and blood samples were collected at d 45. The performance period lasted 45 d and at the completion of the study, goats were harvested, and carcass characteristics, abomasal worm counts were measured. The results showed that DMI, BW, carcass traits, and meat color were not affected by PS supplementation, whereas average daily gain (ADG, P < 0.01), blood glucose (P < 0.001), phosphorus (P < 0.05), and cholesterol levels (P < 0.001) significantly increased with increasing levels of PS supplementation. There was a linear (P < 0.01) reduction in rumen acetate to propionate ratio, ammonia-nitrogen, FEC, and H. contortus worm counts, with increasing levels of PS supplementation. This study shows that PS supplementation up to 30% of the diet can improve ADG and rumen fermentation while reducing gastrointestinal parasite infection in meat goats.