Effect of doe milking and supplementation using Dichrostachys cinerea pods on kid and doe performance in grazing goats during the dry season.

Tropical Animal Health and Production
V MaphosaV Muchenje

Abstract

Effects of supplementation and milking of Matebele does four weeks pre-partum to weaning, on milk yield, kid birth weight and growth rate were studied. Forty does were divided into four treatments: supplemented and milked (SM), supplemented and not milked (SNM), not supplemented and milked (NSM); and not supplemented and not milked (NSNM). Supplemented goats were given 200 g/doe/day of Dichrostachys cinerea pods containing 19% CP. The study was carried out in September during time of feed unavailability and animals were grazed on rangelands for seven hours before being given the supplement. Fifty-six kids were born from all the experimental animals and 24 were singles whereas 32 were twins. Milk yield was higher (P < 0.05) in supplemented than non-supplemented does. Although supplementation had no effect on kid birth weights, growth rates were higher (P < 0.05) in the SNM group (103 +/- 10.1 g/day) than in the SM group (74 +/- 10.8 g/day). Among the non-supplemented groups, kids from milked does had higher (P < 0.05) daily gains (85 +/- 10.9 g/day) than those from non-milked does (67 +/- 10.7 g/day). Weaning weights were higher (P < 0.05) in SNM does (12.8 +/- 1.30 g/day) than in the SM does (10.2 +/- 1.17 g/day). Among kids fr...Continue Reading

References

Feb 1, 1990·Journal of Animal Science·J NobletM Etienne
Apr 13, 2000·Small Ruminant Research : the Journal of the International Goat Association·J P Greyling
Apr 12, 2001·APMIS : Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica, Et Immunologica Scandinavica·H H Meyer
May 17, 2006·Journal of Dairy Science·F Y WuY K Cheng
Oct 19, 2007·Tropical Animal Health and Production·L H DossaM Gauly

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Citations

Jul 26, 2011·Tropical Animal Health and Production·Miguel MelladoÁngeles De Santiago

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