Effects of supplementation during late gestation on goat performance and behavior under rangeland conditions

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2015-08, Vol.93 (8), p.4153-4160
• Main Authors: Luna-Orozco, J R, Meza-Herrera, C A, Contreras-Villarreal, V, Hernández-Macías, N, Angel-Garcia, O, Carrillo, E, Mellado, M, Véliz-Deras, F G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed - analysis; Animal Husbandry; Animal lactation; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animal sciences; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Birth Weight; Blood Glucose; Blood Proteins; Body Weight; Cholesterol - blood; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Female; Goats; Goats - physiology; Lactation - physiology; Milk - chemistry; Milk - physiology; Nutrition; Peripartum Period; Pregnancy
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/jas.2014-8609

This study evaluated the effects of peripartum feed supplementation on doe and kid BW and BCS, milk yield and composition, serum metabolites, and maternal-neonatal behavior under rangeland conditions in northern Mexico. Adult does ( = 23) were randomly assigned to 3 nutritional plane groups: 1) goats supplemented (500 g of concentrate [18% CP/kg DM, 2.7 Mcal/kg DM, and 2% salt]) from 15 d prepartum to 7 d postpartum (G15; = 8), 2) the same supplementation as G15 but from 35 d before until 7 d after kidding (G35; = 8), and 3) nonsupplemented does (GC; = 7). Supplemented goats differed from GC goats in BW (48 ± 1.8, 46.1 ± 2.5, and 44.9 ± 2.3 kg; < 0.05), milk yield (1.8 ± 0.1, 1.9 ± 0.2, and 1.2 ± 0.1 kg at d 15 postpartum; < 0.01), kid birth weights (3.8 ± 0.2, 3.6 ± 0.2, and 3.4 ± 0.2 kg; < 0.05), and kid BW at 15 d after birth (6.9 ± 0.2, 6.6 ± 0.2, and 5.6 ± 0.2 kg; < 0.05) for the G35, G15, and GC, respectively. Serum concentrations for total protein, glucose, and cholesterol were not affected ( > 0.05) by treatments. Milk of GC goats showed increased ( < 0.05) percentages for fat, protein, lactose, and nonfat milk solids, whereas total quantities of these variables where higher ( < 0.05) in the G15 and G35 groups. Furthermore, GC dams spent more time seeking their offspring and emitted more low-pitched bleats 4 h postpartum ( < 0.05) in a 2-choice test compared with the G15 and G35 groups. In general, peripartum supplementation promoted a closer dam-kid relationship at 8 h postpartum. Goat performance may be improved in this semiarid region of Mexico with marginal production through supplementation in late gestation.