Evaluation of different levels of colostrum on growth performance, immunoglobulin and skeletal characteristics of Murciano Granadina goat kids

Consumption of colostrum in sufficient quantity to provide the energy needed by small newborn ruminants to regulate their temperature is very important.Ruminant placenta prevents the transfer of immunoglobulin from mother to fetus during pregnancy. However, various factors such as production, nutrition, breed, duration of drought, climate and health status of goats can affect the composition of colostrum. Research has shown that small intestinal enterocyte cells lose their ability to absorb immunoglobulins within 24 to 48 hours after birth.The highest efficiency of immunoglobulin G uptake in the small intestine is 4 hours after birth and decreases linearly six hours after birth.If the goat kids do not consume enough colostrum in the early hours after birth, the risk of mortality in the herd increases. Inadequate consumption of colostrum in lambs and goat kids in the first hours after birth leads to increased susceptibility to disease and increased mortality rate, and the volume and quality of colostrum consumed can increase the survival of goat kids. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of colostrum consumption on the amount of immunoglobulin intake, growth performance and skeletal characteristics of Murcia goat kids.

The present study was performed on 80 newborn goats with different weights of Murcianogranadina breed with 4 treatments in a completely randomized block. Experimental treatments included four treatments of 15, 20, 25, and 30% of the newborn goat kids body weight. In that treatment was accepted.

Due to the fact that colostrum immunoglobulin levels in Murciano Granadina breed are at the highest level compared to other dairy goat breeds in the world (such as Sunan and Alpine). In the present study, feeding alternative goats with higher colostrum levels was able to grow and develop Lead to better muscle and skeleton (P <0.05). In the present study, the best results were observed in goat kids fed with levels of 30% of body weight (P <0.05). The results of this study showed that the increasing trend of skeletal growth and development for treatments consuming high levels of colostrum had continued up to 56 days. As body height and cap width were 30 and 9 cm higher for 30% colostrum treatment compared to 15% treatment, respectively, there was also a significant difference between treatments in terms of weight parameters at 21 days of age (P <0.05). And its value was the highest for 30% colostrum treatment and the lowest for 15% colostrum treatment.

The results of this experiment showed that consumption of colostrum in the first 48 hours after birth in the amount of 30% of the initial body weight of goats, the number of colostrum every 6 meals, affects the immune status and skeletal growth of goat kids.