The Effect of Consumption Extra Milk Replacer Over Mother's Milk on Growth Efficiency and Blood Parameters of Mahabadi Suckling Goat Kids

Goats are small domestic ruminants that have served humans before other ruminants and is one of the most important sources of protein of animal origin in human nutrition. Milk replacer are widely used in the breeding of young calves and goats. The benefits of using it are increasing productivity and as well as simplifying livestock management. This study was performed to investigate the effect of excess milk replacer on breast milk consumption on production performance, blood biochemical metabolites and fecal parameters including microbial properties of suckling goat kids.

To perform this experiment, 24 Mahabadi suckling goat kids were used in a complete randomized design with three groups of 8 heads for 60 days. The goats were kept with the mother for three days after birth, then were randomly divided into 3 groups of 8 heads. Experimental treatments including group 1- daily consumed only breast milk 2 and 3- daily in addition to breast milk, respectively, consumed 5 and 10% of body weight instead of milk. Growth parameters, including weight, body length, height at the withers, breast and hip circumference, as well as breast milk consumption, starter concentrate consumption, blood parameters, and faecal parameters, including salmonella, Escherichia coli, and lactobacillus, were measured. Data analysis was performed with SAS software.

The results showed that daily weight gain in goat kids that consumed 5% of body weight instead of milk in addition to breast milk was significantly higher than the control group. Live weight and mean daily weight gain of goats with 5% milk replacer consumption on the last day were significantly higher than goats of other treatments. In terms of other growth parameters, no significant difference was observed between goats consuming 5% of alternative and control milk. But they were higher than goats consuming 10% milk. There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of some biochemical blood metabolites. In terms of glucose, albumin and lactate dehydrogenase levels, the first group was significantly higher than the second and third groups. In terms of blood urea nitrogen, the control group was higher and 5% milk replacer consumption group was lower, and the difference between the 10% milk replacer consumption group and the control and 5% milk replacer consumption groups was not significant. The amount of cholesterol in the 10% milk replacer consumption group was lower than the other two groups, the amount of total protein was the highest in the control group and the lowest in the second group. Salmonella was not observed in fecal samples. The rate of Escherichia coli was higher in group kids who consumed 5 and 10% of body weight instead of milk than controls. Lactobacilli were observed only in small numbers in the control group.

The results of this experiment showed that the consumption of milk replacer in addition to breast milk at the rate of 5%  weight of goats can have positive effects on the production performance of suckling kids.