World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

EFFECT OF FEEDING LEVELS ON PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCES OF LACTATING DOES

Nourou Abdou*, Ousseini Mahaman Malam Mouctari, Abdoulaye Soumana Gouro, Mahamadou Chaibou, Ignatius Verla Nsahlai

ABSTRACT

Red Maradi goats from Caprine Centre of Maradi in South of Niger were used from weaning to next kidding to determine the effect of levels of feeding of dams, the effect of urea treatment and crushing of millet stover (MS) on production and reproductive performances of dams. To evaluate these effects, data from previous kidding to sub-sequent kidding were used. Sixty goats were sorting into six groups of 10, and randomly assigned to six treatments (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6) with four levels of feeding (g/kg DM): T1=842, T2=T5=T6=934, T3=1079 and T4=1300 corresponding to 200 g, 400g, 600g and 800g of milk production, respectively. Treatment T1 to T4, mil-let stover (MS) was crushed and treated with 3% urea, T5 MS was only crushed, and T6 MS was offered whole. Comparison between T2 versus T5, and T6 versus T5 evaluated the effects of urea treatment and crushing of MS, respectively. Heat synchronization was used to reproduce does after weaning kids at three months aged. The feed-ing level affected (P<0.001) linearly and in a quadratic fashion dry matter intake (DMI) and milk yield (myd) of doe while dam final weight (dfwt) was affected (P<0.001) in a quadratic fashion. Urea treatment of MS did not affect DMI, myd and dfwt whereas crushing of MS increased (P<0.001) dam DMI and dfwt. Pregnancy reduced myd (P<0.05) and shortened lactation length (Llact) (P<0.001), increased dfwt (P<0.001) and average periodic weight change (apwc) (P<0.001) of does at the last period of pregnancy. The period of lactation, age, parity, birth type (btype) and dam initial weight (diwt) affected (P<0.001) DMI whereas myd and dfwt were affected (P<0.001) by period, btype and diwt. The post-partum anoestrus period (Panoest), kidding interval (Kinterv), gestation length (Lgest) and lactation length (Llact) ranged from 66 to 93, 236 to 254, 145 to 150 and 155 to 185 days, respectively. Production and reproduction performances were improved with feeding level.

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