College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B. Pant University of Agric. & Tech., Pantnagar-263 145, India.
Twenty Barbari does, maintained under semi-intensive system of housing, were provided with different bedding materials (saw dust, chaffed paddy straw, rice husk, slatted wooden, cement concrete, sand and soil) in winter, summer and rainy season from December 2004 to August 2005 in Tarai region of Uttaranchal to study parasitic load through egg per gram (EPG) count as well as to ascertain better manure absorption capacity of the litter. Overall EPG values of does in winter, summer and rainy seasons were 290.6 ± 41.2, 913.13 ± 74.51 and 745.0 ± 57.9 eggs per gram, respectively. Egg count in winter was significantly lower (P<0.01) than summer and rainy seasons. During winter, the least-squares means of EPG of does kept on saw dust, paddy straw, rice husk and wooden slatted bedding materials were 237.5 ± 41.3, 367.5 ± 45.3, 335.00 ± 44.3 and 222.5 ± 46.1 eggs per gram, respectively. During summer, the EPG count of does kept on of wooden slatted bedding were significantly (P<0.01) higher (1340.0 ± 119.02) than those kept on cement concrete, sand and soil and wooden slatted bedding. During monsoon, the EPG count remained indifferent due to the bedding materials used. Maximum moisture, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium were retained by rice husk (80.42%), paddy straw (71.48%), saw dust (50.38%) and rice husk (1.89%), respectively. Hence, rice husk may be considered as bedding material of choice for housing goats in Tarai region of Uttaranchal.
