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Abstract
Goetsch, A.L., Detweiler, G. and Sahlu, T. 2002. A note on the effects of preweaning concentrate supplementation on performance of meat goats. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 21: 25–34.
Sixty-four Spanish does with 104 Boer×Spanish or Spanish kids were used to determine effects of preweaning feeding of concentrate-based supplement on preweaning and early postweaning growth. In mid-April, from approximately 6 to 14 wk after birth, animals grazed wheat forage (Phase 1), followed by 5 wk on native grass pasture (Phase 2) and an 8-wk postweaning period with a moderate level of supplemental concentrate (Phase 3). Treatments were no supplementation in Phases 1 and 2 (C), ad libitum consumption of a concentrate-based supplement in Phases 1 and 2 (A), no supplementation in Phase 1 and ad libitum consumption of supplement in Phase 2 (A-2), and limit feeding of supplement (approximately 1% of live weight, DM; L). Supplement intake averaged 30, 74, 90, 157 and 158 g/d for L and 36, 87, 192, 240 and 229 g/d for A in wk 2–4, 5–6 and 7–8 of Phase 1 and wk 1–2 and 3–5 of Phase 2, respectively; supplement intake averaged 171 and 249 g/d for A-2 in wk 1–2 and 3–5 of Phase 2, respectively. In wk 1, 3, 5 and 7 of Phase 1 and wk 1, 3 and 5 of Phase 2, forage DM mass averaged 2474, 2062, 1315, 1434, 2245, 1405 and 1161 kg/ha and hand-plucked forage samples were 12.7, 15.9, 14.2, 16.8, 8.1, 7.1 and 7.1% crude protein and 42.6, 47.8, 51.0, 52.5, 66.3, 70.4 and 72.2% neutral detergent fiber, respectively. Kid live weight gain was similar among treatments in Phases 1 (108, 133, 118, and 113 g/d) and 2 (82, 40, 43, and 78 g/d) and lower (P < 0.05) for C than for A and A-2 in Phase 3 (44, 59, 90 and 83 g/d for C, L, A, and A-2, respectively). In conclusion, under conditions of this experiment preweaning feeding of concentrate-based supplement did not enhance kid growth preweaning but generally improved early postweaning growth. However, within genotype preweaning supplementation did not impact overall pre- or postweaning live weight gain.