Small Ruminant Research ELSEVIER Small Ruminant Research 2 I (1996) 273-276 Technical Note Potential of dolichos lablab ( Lablab purpureus) and Acacia tortilis pods in smallholder goat kid feeding systems in semi-arid areas of Southern Africa L.R. Ndlovu * , L.M. Sibanda zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTS Deprtment oj’Anima1 Science, Faculty c~j’Agriculture, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP167, Hurare, Zimhuhwe Accepted 4 December 1995 Abstract Two feeding trials of I12 and 84 days duration were conducted with indigenous goat kids with average liveweight of 11.5 k 0.3 kg to evaluate the potential of dolichos lablab and Acacia tort& pods in mitigating liveweight losses and improving survival, In Trial 1, the kids were offered 200-300 g day- ’ of dolichos lablab or luceme hay, while in Trial 2 they were offered 300400 g day- ’ of Acacia tortilis pods or dolichos lablab hay. Weight gains, though low (31 g day-’ for luceme and 23 g day-’ for dolichos lablab), were positive and there was no mortality. In Trial 2, A. tortilis pods resulted in growth rates of up to 67 g day _I. It is concluded that A. tortilis pods are a suitable supplement in a feeding system where kids are penned for most of the day and only released in the afternoon to graze near the home. Keywork: Acacia pods; Dolichos lablab; Goats; Semi-arid areas 1. Introduction Annual livestock productivity in semi-arid areas is mainly limited by deficits in forage quantity and/or quality during the long dry season. Young stock are particularly vulnerable, as they are often unable to walk long distances in order to secure food under extensive systems. Thus development of different feeding systems for kids would greatly reduce the reproductive wastage of losses of kids that go astray and/or are caught by predators whilst out foraging with their dams. Dolichos lablab (Lablab purpureus) is a high- yielding legume shrub (5-6 t DM ha-‘) even with minimum rainfall and management (Tacheba and * Corresponding author. Fax: 263.4-333407/335249. Moyo, 1988). Acacia tortilis is a common legumi- nous tree in sub-Saharan Africa whose pods are high in protein (Tanner et al., 1990). In many areas, the fruits are collected once they are dry and are fed to the animals in the kraals (corals). This experiment examined the value of dolichos lablab and of pods of acacia as supplements for kids. The aim of the supplementation was not necessarily to increase liveweight gains, but mainly to mitigate liveweight losses and improve survival. 2. Materials and methods 2.1. Study area The study was carried out in the southwestern part of Zimbabwe (latitude 21”23’S, longitude 28”59’E), 00921.4488/96/$15.00 Copyright 0 1996 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. SSDf 0921-4488(95)00845-4