Placental Traits in Pen-fed Goats and Goats Kept on Rangeland

Abstract

Mallado, M., Olivares, L., Diaz, H. and Villarreal, J.A. 2006. Placental traits in pen-fed goats and goats kept on rangeland. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 29: 133–136.

To determine if rearing conditions (pen vs. extensive grazing) alters placental development, mixed-breed goats were kept either under intensive (n=31) or extensive (n=40) condition in a desert rangeland. Does kept under pen conditions had higher (P<0.01) serum glucose, urea, cholesterol, total proteins and phosphorus values than grazing goats. There was no effect of rearing conditions on kid birth weight, but placentas from nutrient-restricted mothers were 56% heavier (P<0.01) at parturition than pen-fed does. Placentas from the grazing goats had less placentomes and feto-maternal contact area compared to pen-fed goats. Body condition score was significantly correlated with placental weight (r= −0.69) and placenta to birth weight ratio (r= 0.74). These results showed that live weight of offspring born from nutrient-restricted mothers was not compromised, but chronic nutrient deprivation resulted in larger placentas with fewer placentomes.

Key words:

• Goat
• placenta
• body condition score
• rearing condition