Keeping goats and kids together

Milk with high concentrations of fat, total protein and casein is required for cheese production. The Swedish landrace goat produces milk with relatively low dry matter content. The explanation for this may be genetic factors in combination with unfavourable management and milking routines. Goats have a large udder cistern and can therefore be milked without oxytocin (OT) stimulated milk ejection that enables fat rich alveolar milk to be available for milking. Earlier studies have shown that vasopressin (AVP) also can increase fat content in goat milk. The overall aim in this thesis was to investigate if cheese processing properties of Swedish goat milk could be optimized by suckling. Analyses of milk from 28 Swedish goat herds showed that 65% had low concentrations of αS1-casein and only 12 % had high expression (Paper I). In Paper II it was demonstrated that AVP and OT increase simultaneously during suckling but not during hand milking. The importance of AVP was followed up in paper III, and it was demonstrated that AVP administration can cause milk ejection similarly to OT. In paper IV it was found that milking management systems, such as suckling before milking, increased milk fat concentration compared to milking before suckling. When dams and kids were together for a longer time (16h) milk fat, casein concentration and individual curd yield (%) were higher compared to when they were together for shorter time (8h). Thus overall, keeping goats and kids together is beneficial for animal welfare, increases milk fat concentration and curd yield, and can thereby improve cheese production

Gårdsanalyser av mjölkens sammansättning hos Svenska lantrasgetter med en mobil infraröd spektrometri-metod, MIRIS

Svenska mjölkgetter hålls vanligen för ostproduktion, där ostarna oftast tillverkas i egna gårdsmejerier. Det finns idag en växande marknad för getost i Sverige och efterfrågan på lokalproducerade livsmedel har ökat, vilket innebär att den svenska getnäringen har en betydande roll inom ramen för miljö och närproducerande livsmedel. Vid osttillverkning är mjölkens sammansättning (fett, protein och kasein) av stor betydelse för ostutbyte och kvalité på produkterna. Information om mjölkens kaseinsammansättning från svenska mjölkgetsbesättningar saknas i nuläget och regelbundna mjölkanalyser av fett, protein och laktos är bristfällig. Huvudsyftet var att genom gårdsbesök på ett antal svenska getgårdar undersöka om det var möjligt att analysera mjölkens innehåll av kasein, fett, protein och laktos på gårdsnivå med hjälp av en mobil infraröd spektrometri-metod (IR). Ett ytterligare syfte var att via intervjufrågor få en uppfattning om småskalig livsmedelsproduktion idag och vilka parametrar som är viktiga för en hållbar produktion av getost i framtiden. Individuella mjölk prover (n=112) och 6 tankprover samlades upp från totalt 6 gårdar där fett, protein och laktos analyserades i färsk mjölk med en IR metod. Kaseinhalten bestämdes stegvis med en koaguleringsmetod, där vasslen analyserades med IR teknik och kaseinet beräknades som skillnaden mellan totalprotein och vassleprotein. Både mjölkmängd och sammansättning varierade mellan gårdar och mellan individuella getter. Kaseinhalten varierade mer mellan individer (2,6 -3,4 %) än mellan gårdar där Mv ± SD var 3,1 ± 0,3 %. Kaseintalet varierade också mellan individer (64-80 %) och medeltalet var 72 ± 4 % på alla gårdarna. Studien visar att det är möjligt att analysera getmjölk i fält med ett mobilt analysinstrument, både på besättnings och på individnivå. Genom intervjufrågor på totalt 7 gårdar framkom det att den obligatoriska öronmärkningen medförde problem i besättningarna, vilket visades i form av såriga och infekterade öron, som var svårläkta. Möjligheten att använda alternativa metoder för ID-märkning av svenska getter som exempelvis chipmärkning i våm eller under hud bör undersökas närmare i framtiden

Smärtlindring hos killingar efter avhorning

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) meloxicam in connection with dehorning of goat kids. Six 2-3,5 weeks old dehorned kids were given daily intramuscular injections of meloxicam (0,5 mg/kg; MG) and five age-matched dehorned kids were given isotonic NaCl (NG) for 3 days. The study was randomized and double blinded. The behavior of the kids was studied one day before dehorning, on the dehorning day and three days after. Blood samples were collected each day before the treatment and analyzed for plasma concentrations of meloxicam, hematocrit, cortisol, progesterone and glucose. We also treated four other kids, born without horns, with meloxicam to analyze the concentration of the drug during six hours following the injection. Blood samples were collected every second hour and analyzed as above. In MG kids the plasma concentration of meloxicam increased each day. Signs of pain diminished gradually after the day of dehorning in both MG and NG kids. Only few differences in behavior were observed between MG kids and NG kids. Hematocrit, cortisol, progesterone and glucose did not differ between the two groups, which support the results of the behavioral studies. The behavior of two kids differed from the others. One male kid in the meloxicam group showed more indications of pain compared to the other MG kids, whereas one female kid became hyperactive and showed no signs of pain although she had received NaCl. In conclusion, daily injections of meloxicam, at the dose recommended for cattle, resulted in increasing plasma concentrations of the drug. The kids showed signs of pain after dehorning which gradually declined in both groups. The dehorned kids given meloxicam slept more 2 days after dehorning, but there was no other difference in behavior or in physiology between the groups

Milk yield and composition in Swedish landrace goats (Capra hircus) kept together with their kids in two different systems

Swedish goats are mainly held for cheese production and therefore, both milk quality and composition are of great importance for dairymen. Today, only few data exists on milk composition from Swedish dairy goats and the casein content is still unknown. One way to reduce the work load for goat farmers and increase animal welfare can be to keep goats and kids together for longer periods. The aims of this study were to investigate how milk yield and composition were affected when kids suckled their dams during 8 weeks, and to measure the casein content on farm level by a mid-infrared spectroscopy method, previously calibrated for goat milk. Lactating goats were kept in two different MIX- systems where the dams are both suckled and milked. All goats were machine milked twice daily. Group 1 (n=5) was kept together with one kid for 16 hours a day (T-16h), kids and dams were separated daytime between 7:30 and 15:00, kids were allowed to suckle before each milking. In group 2 (n=6) the dam and kid were kept together for 24 hours but the kid was only allowed to suckle one teat as the other teat was covered with a bra. The daily milk yield was higher in T-16h goats (P<0.05) compared with T-24h goats; 2.5 ± 0.8 and 2.1 ± 0.6 kg, respectively. The fat content was higher in T-16h 4.9 ± 0.9% than in T-24h goats; 4.4 ± 0.7% (P< 0.001). The protein and lactose content were 3.2 ± 0.4% and 4.8 ± 0.4% in T-16h goats and 3.1 ± 0.3 and 4.7 ± 0.3% in T-24 goats. The daily casein number (% of total protein) was 72 ± 5% in both groups. The results indicate that it is possible to maintain milk yield with one kid present. Suckling also increases the fat content if the kid is allowed to suckle before each milking. This study shows that the milk composition is positively affected by keeping goats and kids together, and that it is possible to measure the casein content in goat milk by a mid-infrared spectroscopy method on-farm

Growth rate and behaviour in separated, partially separated or non-separated kids and the corresponding milk production of their mothers

We address the hypothesis that keeping kids and mothers together would have positive effects on the milk composition of the mother and the behaviour of the kids. Kids were either permanently separated (SEP), daily separated between 7.30 and 15 h (DAY-SEP) or kept with mothers 24 h/d (NON-SEP). The NON-SEP kids were only allowed to suckle one teat. All kids had similar growth rate throughout the study (lactation days 5–70). DAY-SEP kids spent 24% of their time with their mother at both ages. NON-SEP spent only 15% of the time with their mothers at 2 weeks of age and this increased to 28% at 2 months of age. NON-SEP kids showed more hiding behaviour at 2 weeks and SEP were more active alone, at both 2 weeks and 2 months, compared to the other treatments. The mean available milk yield and fat concentration were higher in DAY-SEP goats (2420 g ± 119 g and 4.9 ± 0.1%) compared with NON-SEP goats (2149 ± 79 g and 4.4 ± 0.1%). There were no differences between DAY-SEP and NON-SEP goats in total protein, lactose, or casein concentrations. Based on these data it was estimated that 7.1 kg milk was needed to produce 1 kg semi-hard cheese in DAY-SEP goats and 7.5 kg in NON-SEP goats, respectively. When comparing milk yield and composition between udder halves, the milk yield was, as expected, higher from the machine milked teat than from the suckled one in the NON-SEP goats but there was no difference between right and left udder halves in DAY-SEP goats. Milk fat concentration varied between teats at morning and afternoon milkings in NON-SEP goats, but there was no difference in milk fat between udder-halves in DAY-SEP goats. In conclusion, the kid growth rate was similar in all treatments, however, an altered behaviour was seen in permanently separated kids (SEP). The results show that it is possible to have a high milk yield and fat concentration with one kid together with the dam

Physiological and behavioural responses of Swedish domestic goats and their kids (Capra hircus) to 15 days of heat exposure

Seven Swedish domestic goats (Capra hircus, 2-3 years) and their kids (37 +/- 4 days) were subjected to indoor temperatures above 30 degrees C during 15 days (periods H1-H4; periods without heat C1, C2) to study acclimation. Rectal temperature (RT) increased by 1.1 degrees C during H1 to H3 (P < 0.001 vs. C1), but only by 0.6 degrees C during H4 (P < 0.001 vs. C1; P < 0.024 vs. H1). Respiration rate (RR) increased less during H4 than during H1 (P < 0.001). Skin temperature increased during heat (P < 0.001), and skin evaporation (SE), which differed from C1 to H4 (P < 0.05). Goats increased water intake during heat, resulting in lowered milk osmolality while milk offtake was maintained. Kids' thermoregulatory responses resembled those of the goats. Thus, decreasing RT and RR simultaneously with increasing SE at the end of the heat indicate that goats had started to acclimate

The Effect of Mother Goat Presence during Rearing on Kids' Response to Isolation and to an Arena Test

Simple SummaryThe early permanent separation of mother and young in dairy production is the subject of much consumer concern. The aim of this study was to examine how early permanent separation, separation during the day only, or full-time access to their mother over two months affected goat kids, as measured by heart rate, saliva cortisol, and behavior during social isolation and exposure to a novel test situation. Our study shows that goat kids separated early permanent, separated daytime, or kept full-time with their mothers showed different responses to a challenge. However, it is difficult to say which of the treatments resulted in most fear and stress for goat kids during the tests. It seems that kids permanently separated from their mothers adapted to live in a group with other goat kids by the age of two months, while those separated daytime from their mothers demonstrated the strongest stress response. The reaction of goat kids kept full-time with mother fell between those of the other two treatments. In conclusion, the evaluation of stress responses is complicated, and our study pinpoints the importance of combining physiological with behavioral measurements.The aim of the study was to examine how early permanent separation, separation during the day only, or full-time access to the mother goat affected goat kids during social isolation with a sudden sound of a dog bark at two weeks and two months, and a novel arena test with a novel object at two months. Kids permanently separated reduced their vocalization earlier and had a higher heart rate before and after dog bark during isolation at two weeks, no effect was found on the daytime separated kids. Daytime separated kids bleated more at two weeks and decreased heart rate after dog barking at two months. Daytime separated kids showed the strongest fear reaction in the arena test, no effect was found on the permanently separated kids. Kids separated early vocalized more before novel object and showed more explorative behavior afterwards. Our study shows different responses in goat kids separated early permanent, daytime separated, or kept full-time with mother, which demonstrates the importance of if and how the mother is present, and the impact of using a wide variety of physiological and behavioral measures when evaluating stress in animal welfare research

Speciallärares och logopeders erfarenhet av språkstörning

Det ställs idag stora krav på vår språkliga förmåga, både att kommunicera muntligt och skriftligt. För barn med språkstörning är det extra viktigt att de får rätt hjälp för att kunna utvecklas på bästa sätt. Med detta som bakgrund är syftet med vår studie att öka förståelsen för språkstörning genom att ta del av speciallärares och logopeders arbete och erfarenhet. I studien behandlas frågeställningarna; Hur ser speciallärare och logopeder på diagnosen språkstörning? Vilka metoder kan vara gynnsamma för elever med språkstörning i skolan?Vilka framgångs- och riskfaktorer beskriver speciallärare och logopeder i sitt arbete kring språkstörning? Vi har använt en kvalitativ metod med fenomenologisk inspiration och utfört 15 semistrukturerade intervjuer med speciallärare och logopeder i grundskolan. Resultatet av studien visar att språkstörning är en mångfacetterad och komplicerad diagnos. Studien visar också på att kunskap och erfarenhet kring språkstörning i många fall är bristfällig i skolan. Vi konstaterar att det relationella perspektivet genomsyrar informanternas syn på arbetet med elever med språkstörning. Sammanfattningsvis tyder studiens resultat på ett behov av ökad kunskap i skolan för att få till väl fungerande lärmiljöer och en tillgänglig och anpassad undervisning för elever med språkstörning