Fleece Growth in Australian Cashmere Goats .1. the Effects of Nutrition and Age On Fleece Growth, Prolactin and Thyroxine Concentration

Australian cashmere goats were studied from January to July to assess the effects of increasing feeding level (maintenance, M: 42 g DM/W0.75/day, 1.4 M, 1.8 M and 2.3 M (ad libitum)) and age (Young, 6 months; Old 18 months) on fleece growth, and plasma concentrations of prolactin (Prl) and thyroxine (T4). Comparisons of fleece composition (weight, cashmere fibre diameter, proportion of cashmere) were made from fleece shorn monthly (left side) and at the end of the experiment (right side). There was no significant (P > 0.05) effect of feeding level or age on cashmere weight (39.8 g), cashmere diameter (15.3 mum) or hair weight (224.7 g) at shearing in July. Similar results were observed with monthly fleece composition studies, although cumulative cashmere weight for Young goats (27.1 g) was significantly (P < 0.05) less than that of Old goats (48.5 g), and average fibre diameter of cashmere of Young goats (13.6 mum) was less than that of Old goats (15.6 mum). Serum Prl concentration in groups on higher feeding levels (1.8 M, 2.3 M) increased significantly (P < 0.05) over the duration of the study (45 to 70 ng/mL and 15 to 70 ng/mL for 1.8 M and 2.3 M respectively), whilst that of the groups on lower feeding levels (M, 1-4 M) remained low (15 ng/mL). The results are discussed in relation to the seasonal change in fleece composition and hormone secretion for the different feeding levels and age groups, and a possible antagonism between Prl secretion and fleece growth