[Rearing trial of a feed for Shiba goats]

Shiba goats are among the widely used for research purposes as laboratory animals and there is an increasing need for development of a suitable feed of reasonably constant nutrient composition and quality in pellet form for them. Preliminary studies yielded a pellet feed satisfactorily palatable and adequate as a maintenance ration for this species. The present experiments were conducted to assess the pellet feed for usefulness in rearing Shiba goats, in comparison with a conventional ration which has long been used at the Stock Farm of Tokyo University. No significant intergroup differences were observed as to VFA proportions in the rumen fluid, hematologic parameters or blood chemical constituents between the pellet feed and conventional ration. Animals maintained on the experimental pellets ad libitum displayed a significant decrease in apparent digestibility.