Effect of energy flushing pre-mating and during mating season on production and reproduction performance of Zaraibi goats
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine if short-term feeding of high energy diet (pre and during mating) have any stimulatory effects on body condition score (BCS), live body weight (LBW) and reproductive performance of Zaraibi does. Twenty-four Healthy mature does at 31-34 months old and weighed 38-41 kg were randomly allocated in equal numbers (n=12) into control and treatment groups. The control group (low energy=4193 Kcal/kg) was nourished basal diet consisted of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) and berseem hay (BH) at ratio 40:60. In the treatment group (high energy = 4469 Kcal/kg), the protected fat (Mgnaback) ® was added to the basal diet at the rate of 5% of total dry matter intake. Submitting of energy flushing were 21 days before introducing the fertile buck for mating (pre-mating) and continued 42 days during the breeding period (mating season). The total experimental period was 63 days. Thereafter, all does were again fed low energy (control basal diet) by the end of mating season until parturition. The BCS (based on 1 - 5 scoring classes) and LBW was estimated at start of trial and at the end of each stage including; pre-mating, mating, at the days of 140 gestation and one day after parturition. The kids were weighed one day after birth. The obtained results show no effects for energy levels on BCS and LBW.
Contrariwise, during gestation period, BCS and LBW recorded significant increase (P<0.05) with high energy level (3.8 point and 51.8 kg) compared with low energy (3.3 point and 45.2 kg), respectively. However, pregnancy rate, number of kids born, fertility rate, kidding numbers, triplets rate and kid birth weight were higher (P<0.05) with the high energy supplementation than low energy level. It could be concluded that short-term supplementation with dietary energy pre-and during mating can have a beneficial effect on BCS, LBW and reproductive performance of Zaraibi does.

Key words: goats feeding, energy level, body condition score, body weight and reproduction.
Publication year 2011
Pages 7-14
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
serial title Egyptian Journal of Sheep & Goat Sciences
ISSN 2090-0376
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Animal physiology - NutritionAnimal physiology - Reproduction
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Body weight. Copulation. Goats. Reproduction. Trophic levels.
Proposed Agrovoc body condition score;goats feeding;short-term feeding;
Publication Type Journal
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