Milk yield estimation during suckling using the double oxytocin injection-milking and the double weighing-suckling methods in dairy goats

The aim was to verify the validity of the double oxytocin-milking (DOT) method as milk yield estimator during the suckling period of lactating dairy goats. To this end, it was necessary to determine whether the weighing suckling weighing (WSW) and DOT methods of milk yield estimation satisfied the criteria to be considered valuable, the accuracy between both methods and the suitability of DOT to evaluate actual milk. At parturition, sixty lactating Murciano Granadina breed goats were separated into 2 groups, in mixed (MS; n = 24) and artificial rearing (ARS; n = 36) management systems. Until the sixth week of lactation (weaning), MS goats suckled one kid while kids from ARS goats were artificially reared; moreover, goats in both systems were submitted to once-a-day milking. Once per week, actual milk yield for ARS goats and potential milk yield were recorded using DOT method for all goats, except for 12 goats in ARS which remained as a control. Twelve goats from each management system were used to evaluate diurnal variation in milk production (DVM) by DOT method for 6 consecutive days in week 4 of lactation. No difference in DVM was found by DOT method in 4-h milk production of goats in MS (P = 0.099) or ARS (P = 0.220), which allowed sixfold multiplication of milked milk volume to obtain potential milk per day. ARS goats subjected to a weekly DOT and control group goats showed a similar (P = 0.379) lactation curve for the first 6 weeks of lactation. The DOT method slightly overestimated (3.4%, P = 0.005) the milk yield evaluated by WSW method for goats under an MS, but fitted the actual milk obtained by common milk records for the group of goats in an ARS submitted to the DVM test (P = 0.357) and the group in ARS alone (P = 0.163). The DOT method applied for 8 consecutive days led to a drop of 6 12% in milk yield during the following week for both production systems. In conclusion, DOT was an accurate method to estimate milk yield during the first weeks of lactation both in MS and ARS under the conditions of this experiment. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Fernández Martínez, N.; Balasch Parisi, S.; Pérez Baena, I.; Rodríguez Garcia, M.; Peris Ribera, CJ. (2013). Milk yield estimation during suckling using the double oxytocin injection-milking and the double weighing-suckling methods in dairy goats. Small Ruminant Research. 112(1-3):181-185. doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.12.023S1811851121-

The Girgentana Goat Breed: A Zootechnical Overview on Genetics, Nutrition and Dairy Production Aspects

In recent years, there has been a great interest in recovering and preserving local livestock breeds. An interesting situation is represented by the Girgentana goat, an ancient local breed reared in Sicily. Over recent years, this breed has become almost extinct, in part as a consequence of the marked decrease in fresh goat milk consumption. On the basis of these considerations, several studies on its genetic structure and management aspects have been conducted in order to protect the Girgentana goat from the risk of extinction and recover its genetic and economic value. In this context, information on genetics, nutrition and dairy production aspects may have a crucial role in the improvement and management of the breed. Thus, this chapter describes some points of these applications through recent investigations on this goat breed

Endozoochorus seed dispersal by goats: recovery, germinability and emergence of five Mediterranean shrub species

Herbivores can play an important role as seed dispersal vectors, ungulates constituting potential seed dispersal agents of Mediterranean grasses and shrubs. We evaluated the role of domestic goats as seed dispersers of five representative Mediterranean forage shrub species (Cistus albidus L., Phillyrea angustifolia L., Calicotome villosa (Poir.) Link., Rhamnus lycioides L. and Atriplex halimus L.). Following seed ingestion by goats, total faeces were collected at 24-h intervals for five days. The total number of seeds recovered varied among species, with R. lycioides showing the minimum recovery percentage (1.3%) and C. albidus (35.8%), the maximum. Seed recovery was significantly related to seed hardness and length. In most species, the maximum amount of seeds recovered occurred 48-72 h after ingestion. The passage through the goat gut significantly depressed seed germination in C. albidus, C. villosa and A. halimus; inhibited it in R. lycioides and increased it in P. angustifolia. Seedling emergence was significantly lower in intact dung pellets than in broken-down ones, and both significantly lower than in uneaten seeds (control). The results of this study show that goats can potentially favor or inhibit seed dispersal of browsed Mediterranean shrub species. Therefore, goat grazing could be a potential management tool for expanding target shrub species populations or preventing shrub encroachment in undesired areas

Cinética ruminal y crecimiento de cabritos suplementados con un probiótico de bacterias ácido-lácticas Ruminal kinetics and growth of kids supplemented with a lactic acid bacteria probiotic

Con el objetivo de evaluar la cinética ruminal y el crecimiento de cabritos suplementados con un probiótico de bacterias ácido-lácticas, se asignaron 86 animales Alpinos en un experimento durante 120 días. En el tratamiento uno (T1) 43 cabritos recibieron una dieta constituida por 50% de heno de alfalfa, 40% de concentrado comercial y 10% de alimento nitrogenado de lento consumo (DI). Los animales del tratamiento dos (T2) recibieron DI rociada diariamente con 50 mL de probiótico (BAL) por kilogramo de MS. Se determinó la desaparición de MS in situ, el consumo voluntario de MS, la degradación de la fibra, la concentración de NH3 y AGV, la digestibilidad in vivo, el pH ruminal, los derivados de purinas y la ganancia de peso. La ganancia de peso diaria fue de 129 y 169 g para T1 y T2, respectivamente (P<0,05). El NH3 y la digestibilidad del N y de la fibra fueron mayores para T2 (P<0,05). El tiempo medio de desaparición de la hemicelulosa fue mayor (P<0,05) en T2. Los conteos totales BAL fueron 1,6 y 2,5 millones de ufc/mL en T1 los días 1 y 7. Los cabritos del T2 presentaron 2,4 y 12,5 millones de ufc/mL. Se concluye que la adición de BAL a la dieta para cabritos en crecimiento puede incrementar la ganancia de peso vivo, así como se producen cambios favorables en la digestibilidad, la proteína microbiana y la cinética ruminal.<br>With the objective of evaluating the ruminal kinetics and growth of kids supplemented with a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) probiotic, 86 Alpine animals were assigned to a trial for 120 days. In treatment 1 (T1), 43 kids received a diet constituted by 50% alfalfa hay, 40% commercial concentrate and 10% slow intake nitrogen feed (ID). The animals in treatment two (T2) received ID daily sprayed with 50 mL probiotic (LAB) per kilogram of DM. In situ DM disappearance, voluntary DM intake, fiber degradation, NH3 and VFA concentration, in vivo digestibility, ruminal pH, purine derivatives and weight gain were determined. The daily weight gain was 129 and 169 g for T1 and T2, respectively (P<0,05). NH3 and N and fiber digestibility were higher for T2 (P<0,05). The half-time disappearance of hemicellulose was higher (P<0,05) for T2. The total LAB counts were 1,6 and 2,5 million fcu/mL in T1 on days 1 and 7. The kids in T2 showed 2,4 and 12,5 million fcu/mL. It is concluded that the addition of LAB to the diet for growing kids can increase live weight gain, as well as produce favorable changes in digestibility, microbial protein and ruminal kinetics

Efecto de la suplementación con concentrado de soja entera extrusionada en vacas Jersey en pastoreo sobre el contenido de ácido linoléico conjugado en la leche

Contradictory results has been found on the effects of soybean supplementation and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content in milk on feeding systems based on fresh forage The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of a dietary supplement with different quantities of extruded whole soybean on the production and composition of milk, and CLA concentration or their isomers in Jersey cows under pasture conditions. Twenty-one Jersey cows were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 7 animals each. The cows were supplemented with a dietary concentrate (5 kg d-1), and each group received one of the three next treatments: control without soybean (0-SB), with extruded whole soybean at 0.5 kg d-1 (0.5-SB) or at 1 kg d-1 (1-SB). The basic diet was a pasture composed of Lolium perenne (70%), Trifolium repens (25%) and other species. The duration of the study was 75 d. Milk production (p = 0.706) and protein production (p = 0.926) were not affected by treatments. Fat (p = 0.015) and protein (p = 0.045) content as well as fat production (p = 0.010) were lower in the 1-SB group. There was no effect of the inclusion of extruded soybean on total CLA content (p = 0.290) or the content of cis-9, trans-11 (p = 0.582), trans-10, cis-12 (p = 0.136) and cis-10, cis-12 (p = 0.288) isomers. However, concentrations of all isomers were affected by the nutritional quality of the pasture, with low values observed at greater maturity stages of pasture.El efecto de la suplementaci&oacute;n con soja en sistemas de pastoreo sobre el contenido de &aacute;cido linol&eacute;ico conjugado (CLA) en leche es contradictorio. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar en vacas Jersey en pastoreo, el efecto de la suplementaci&oacute;n de un concentrado con diferentes cantidades de soja entera extrusionada sobre la producci&oacute;n de leche y su composici&oacute;n, especialmente sobre el contenido en CLA y sus is&oacute;meros. 21 vacas Jersey fueron divididas al azar en 3 grupos de 7 animales cada uno. Los animales fueron suplementados con un concentrado (5 kg d-1) y a cada grupo se le asign&oacute; uno de los tres siguientes tratamientos: control sin soja (0-SB), con 0.5 kg d-1 de soja (0.5-SB) y con 1 kg d-1 de soja (1-SB). La base de la alimentaci&oacute;n fue el pasto, compuesto mayoritariamente por Lolium perenne (70%) y Trifolium repens (25%). La duraci&oacute;n del estudio fue de 75 d&iacute;as. La producci&oacute;n de leche (p = 0.706) y la producci&oacute;n de prote&iacute;na (p = 0.926) no se vieron afectados. Los porcentajes de grasa (p = 0.015) y prote&iacute;na (p = 0.045) y la producci&oacute;n de grasa (p = 0.010) fueron m&aacute;s bajos en el grupo 1-SB. Las cantidades de soja no modificaron los contenidos de CLA total (p = 0.290) y de los is&oacute;meros cis-9, trans-11 (p = 0.582), trans-10, cis-12 (p = 0.136) y cis-10, cis-12 (p = 0.288), pero si fueron afectados por la calidad nutritiva del pasto, observ&aacute;ndose menores valores al aumentar la madurez del pasto