ORIGINAL PAPER
Effects of frequency of supplementation with soyabean meal and litter size on performance of Angora does consuming low quality forage in late gestation and early lactation
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1
E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research, Langston University, P.O. Box 730, Langston, Oklahoma, 73050, USA
 
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Animal Science Department, Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078, USA
 
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Centre for Animal Nutrition, Agriculture Research Council - Animal Nutrition and Products Institute, Private Bag X2, Irene, 1675, South Africa
 
 
Publication date: 2003-10-28
 
 
Corresponding author
A. L. Goetsch   

E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research, Langston University
 
 
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2003;12(4):707-722
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Angora does (56; 43 ± 0.7 kg initial body weight (BW)) consuming low quality forage, with single- or twin-kid litters, were used in a 120-day experiment (15 8-day periods) to determine effects of frequency of supplementation with soyabean meal (SBM) on performance in late gestation (92 ± 18 days in gestation initially) and early lactation. Prairie hay (crude protein 5.1% and neutral detergent fibre 70%) was consumed ad libitum without SBM (C), or SBM was offered at an average daily rate of 0.125% BW every 1, 4 or 8 days (1X, 4X and 8X, respectively). Ground maize was supplemented after kidding at 0.5-1.0% BW, and kidding was in periods 7-11, with approximately one-half of the does kidding before day 58. Average total dry matter intake over the entire experiment was lowest among treatments (P<0.05) for C (1.00, 1.25, 1.24 and 1.23 kg/day), and average forage intake was 0.79, 0.97, 0.96 and 0.94 kg/day for C, 1X, 4X and 8X, respectively (SE = 0.39). Body weight on day 31 was lower (P<0.05) for C vs X1, X4 and X8 (43.3, 46.0, 46.2 and 45.9 kg, respectively). On day 57, BW was lower (P<0.05) for C and 8X vs 1X and 4X (37.7, 41.5, 41.8 and 39.3 kg), and ranked (P<0.05) C < 8X < 1X and 4X on day 120 (31.5, 38.5, 37.7 and 34.7 kg for C vs X1, X4 and X8, respectively). Does with single kids had greater (P<0.05) BW than twin-bearing does on day 57 (41.5 vs 39.7 kg) and 120 (37.3 vs 33.9 kg). There were no differences among supplement treatments or between litter sizes in mohair fibre yield, diameter, length or staple strength. Clean fibre growth rate was similar between litter sizes on day 1-57 and 58-120 and among supplement treatments on day 1-57. However, on day 58-120 fibre growth rate was greater (P<0.05) for 1X compared with C and 4X (0.061, 0.089, 0.060 and 0.079 g/day/100 cm2 for C vs X1, X4 and X8, respectively). In conclusion, infrequent supplementation with SBM of Angora does consuming low quality forage, such as once every 8 days, may be as effective as supplementation daily or every 4 days with moderate nutrient requirements of late gestation. However, to maintain BW and perhaps stimulate mohair fibre growth, daily supplementation may be necessary in lactation regardless of litter size.
 
CITATIONS (3):
1.
Growth performance by Alpine, Angora, Boer and Spanish wether goats consuming 50 or 75% concentrate diets
M Urge, R.C Merkel, T Sahlu, G Animut, A.L Goetsch
Small Ruminant Research
 
2.
Supplements of lactating meat goat does grazing grass/forb pastures
A.L. Goetsch, G.D. Detweiler, Z. Wang, J. Hayes, T.A. Gipson
Journal of Applied Animal Research
 
3.
Effects of supplementary feeding lucerne hay and barley grain to Angora does during the last third of pregnancy and lactation, and of litter size on pasture, birth weight, live weight, parasitism, milk production, milk composition and mohair production
B.A. McGregor
Small Ruminant Research
 
ISSN:1230-1388
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