Table 1.
Selected characteristics of the 42 papers describing 117 experimental treatments included in the meta-analysis. Publication year between 1990 and 2016, median 2003.
| Item | N | Mean | Median | Minimum | Max | SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Experimental length (days) | 42 | 69.3 | 69 | 7 | 365 | 60.7 |
| Initial age of goats (days) | 36 | n.a | 275 | 99 | Adult | n.a |
| Amount of foliage (% of DM) | 42 | 43.7 | 48 | 15 | 100 | 25.7 |
| CP control (g/kg DM) | 39 | 97 | 97 | 31 | 189 | 41 |
| CP foliage (g/kg DM) | 39 | 184 | 185 | 55 | 302 | 55 |
| NDF control (g/kg DM) | 29 | 650 | 704 | 275 | 850 | 162 |
| NDF foliage (g/kg DM) | 29 | 438 | 403 | 178 | 749 | 140 |
| Initial goat BW (kg) | 41 | 24 | 15.5 | 6.93 | 40 | 10.2 |
| Control treatment DMI (g) | 42 | 537 | 499 | 190 | 430 | 290 |
| Foliage treatment DMI (g) | 42 | 571 | 584 | 119 | 1290 | 214 |
| Control treatment ADG (g) | 30 | 26.6 | 50 | −53 | 98 | 32.7 |
| Foliage treatment ADG (g) | 30 | 47.9 | 54 | −84 | 152 | 29.8 |
N: Number of studies, SD: standard deviation, DM: dry matter, CP: crude protein, NDF: neutral detergent fiber, BW: body weight, DMI: dry matter intake, ADG: average daily weight gain.