![Sample our Environment & Agriculture journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5934/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Agriculture.jpg"})
Abstract
Juárez-Reyes, A.S., Nevarez-Carrasco, G., Cerrillo-Soto, M.A., Murillo-Ortiz, M., Luginbuhl, J-M., Bernal-Barragán, H. and Ramírez, R.G. 2008. Dietary chemical composition, plasma metabolites and hormones in range goats. J. Appl. Anim. Res, 34: 81–86.
The objective of this study was to determine the monthly chemical composition of the diet consumed by range goats and plasma concentrations of glucose, urea, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), luteinizing hormone (LH), growth hormone (GH), insulin and progesterone (P4) during lactation (January-June). Three esophageally-cannulated female goats and twelve intact female goats (38±1.7 kg BW) were used to obtain extrusa and blood samples, respectively. Body weight decreased (P<0.05) by 12.5% during the period from January to May, whereas, in June goats lost 250 g d−1. There was a fall in nutrient density during May and June. With the exception of progesterone (0.1–0.6 ng ml−1), LH (7.1–11.0), GH (22.8–30) and insulin (0.6–1.8) increased (P<0.05) as lactation period progressed. It is concluded that plasma metabolite concentrations suggested that an energy supplementation schedule might be necessary during the early lactation period of goats. In addition, if harsh climatic conditions appear at the end of lactation, an increment of 70% in their energy maintenance requirements might be considered to avoid weight losses and to improve body condition of goats prior to breeding season.
