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At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Effect of morphine and flunixin meglumine on isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration in goats.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of morphine and flunixin meglumine on isoflurane (ISO) minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) in goats. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized experimental study. ANIMALS: Five adult, wether goats from 1 to 3 years in age, and weighing 24-65 kg. METHODS: Anesthesia was induced using ISO, which was delivered via a mask. Goats were intubated and ventilated to maintain an end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration between 25 and 30 mm Hg (3.3-4 kPa). End-tidal ISO concentration was measured using an infrared analyzer. The baseline ISO MAC that prevented purposeful movement in response to clamping a claw was determined. Following baseline MAC determination, each goat received one of the following four treatments intravenously (IV): morphine (2 mg kg(-1)), flunixin (1.5 mg kg(-1)), flunixin (1.5 mg kg(-1)) plus morphine (2 mg kg(-1)) or saline, and the MAC was re-determined. Goats were studied at weekly intervals, and each goat received each treatment in a randomized fashion. RESULTS: The baseline ISO MAC for the control treatment was 1.43%. Morphine reduced the MAC by 29.7%. Flunixin did not significantly decrease the MAC nor did it potentiate the effect of morphine on MAC. The quality of recovery was good in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Morphine (2 mg kg(-1), IV) significantly reduced the ISO MAC in goats and did not adversely affect the quality of recovery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The use of morphine, at the dose studied, in association with ISO anesthesia, will allow a clinically significant reduction in the concentration of ISO required to maintain general anesthesia in goats.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed2005

Effect of medetomidine and its antagonism with atipamezole on stress-related hormones, metabolites, physiologic responses, sedation, and mechanical threshold in goats.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of medetomidine and its antagonism with atipamezole in goats. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective randomized crossover study with 1 week between treatments. ANIMALS: Six healthy 3-year-old neutered goats (three male and three female) weighing 39.1-90.9 kg (60.0 +/- 18 kg, mean +/- SD). METHODS: Goats were given medetomidine (20 microg kg(-1), IV) followed, 25 minutes later, by either atipamezole (100 microg kg(-1), IV) or saline. Heart and respiratory rate, rectal temperature, indirect blood pressure, and mechanical threshold were measured, and sedation and posture were scored and blood samples obtained to measure epinephrine, norepinephrine, free fatty acids, glucose, and cortisol concentrations at baseline (immediately before medetomidine), 5 and 25 minutes after medetomidine administration, and at 5, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after the administration of antagonist or saline. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to evaluate data; p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Medetomidine decreased body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate and increased mean arterial blood pressure, cortisol, and glucose. Recumbency occurred 89 +/- 50 seconds after medetomidine administration. All goats were standing 86 +/- 24 seconds after atipamezole administration whereas all goats administered saline were sedate and recumbent at 2 hours. Tolerance to compression of the withers and metacarpus increased with medetomidine. From 5 to 120 minutes after saline or atipamezole administration, there were differences in body temperature, glucose, and cortisol but none in heart rate or blood pressure. Three of the six goats receiving saline developed bloat; five of six urinated. After atipamezole, four of six goats developed piloerection and all goats were agitated and vocalized. CONCLUSION: At the doses used, atipamezole antagonized the effects of medetomidine on recumbency, sedation, mechanical threshold, and the increase in glucose. Atipamezole increased the rate of return of cortisol toward baseline, and prevented further decline in rectal body temperature. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Atipamezole may be used to antagonize some, but not all effects of medetomidine.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cosmetic dehorning in goats.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes a technique using primary closure when dehorning goats, and report the results of 22 cases. STUDY DESIGN: Medical records of goats that had cosmetic dehorning were reviewed. ANIMALS OR SAMPLE POPULATION: Twenty-two goats. METHODS: The medical records of 22 goats, not previously dehorned by other methods, that were cosmetically dehorned between January 1988 and September 1995 were reviewed. Data retrieved from the medical record included age, breed, sex, surgical technique used for dehorning, and any complications that occurred after surgery. All clients were contacted by telephone to determine the course of postoperative healing for each goat. A surgical technique to remove the horns and close the defect primarily was described. RESULTS: The mean age of the goats, all male Nubian or Nubian-Spanish cross, was 6.9 months (range, 2 to 24 months). Horn base diameter ranged from approximately 2 to 4 cm. Mean time from surgery until follow-up was 12.9 months (range, 3 to 57 months). All incisions healed by first intention in 10 to 14 days. Clinical signs of sinusitis were not noted, and owners were pleased with the healing time and cosmetic result obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Primary closure of skin defects after dehorning of goats can be achieved with minimal postoperative care and excellent cosmetic appearance. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Primary closure after dehorning in mature goats reduces aftercare.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Attempted cross-transmission of coccidia between sheep and goats and description of Eimeria ovinoidalis sp. n.

Attempted infection of 2 young lambs with oocysts of Eimeria christenseni from a goat was unsuccessful. Negative results were obtained also when young kids were fed oocysts of Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae from sheep. There was no difficulty in infecting lambs with the sheep coccidium resembling E. ninakohlyakimovae nor goats with the goat coccidium E. christenseni. Oocysts from the goat measured 38.4 X 26.7 microns, but were easily distinguished from Eimeria ahsata from the sheep by sporocyst size and shape, and from Eimeria ovina by oocyst size. Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae-like oocysts from sheep averaged 23.0 X 18.2 microns and were morphologically indistinguishable from previously reported goat coccidia. Since no cross infections of sheep and goats could be accomplished with oocysts of Eimeria sp. characteristic of one or the other host, I concluded that sheep coccidia previously known as E. ninakohlykimovae are distinct from morphologically similar goat coccidia and therefore constitute a separate species. Since the name E. ninakohlyakimovae was first used for coccidia from the goat, the sheep coccidium is renamed Eimeria ovinoidalis with oocyst structure and endogenous stages similar to those previously described from the sheep.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus infection of goats in South Australia.

Caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) infection of dairy goats was shown by virus isolation and serology to be widespread in South Australia. CAEV was isolated at necropsy from 24 of 27 dairy goats with swollen joints from 13 herds, and from 9 of 30 liver dairy goats in 7 herds. Virus was isolated most frequently from synovial membranes, and occasionally from mammary glands, mammary lymph nodes, choroid plexus, lungs, spleen, bone marrow, salivary glands, leucocytes, synovial fluid and milk. Antibody to CAEV was detected in the serum of 13 of 17 of the necropsied goats tested in a single-line gel diffusion test, and in another 3 retested with a modified double-line technique. Serum antibody was also demonstrated in 61 of 77 dairy goat herds, many with histories of arthritis. In 1984 to 1986 the annual number of serologically positive serums and proportions of the numbers tested were 134 (40%), 121 (45%) and 42 (18%), respectively. CAEV was isolated from leucocytes of 8 live goats in 6 of these herds. In fibre goats antibody was detected in the serum of 25 Angora and 19 crossbreds (0.1%) from the 33,279 Angora, 1,705 Cashmere, 8,715 crossbred and 904 feral goats tested.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Effects of treadmill exercise on sweating in three breeds of goats.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the sweating responses of three breeds of goats to exercise at 30 degrees C. DESIGN: Factorial experiment with two goats of each of three breeds exercised for 60 min at 3 km/h and 30 degrees C on 6 days. PROCEDURE: Two mature females of the Anglo-Nubian, Saanen and Toggenburg breeds were used. Rectal temperature, respiration rate and sweating rate at three sites were recorded every 20 min during six replicates of exercise at 48 h intervals on a treadmill. RESULTS: Respiration rate varied with time and breed (P < 0.01) and increased from 20 +/- 2 breaths/min to 135, 195 and 260/min after 60 min exercise in Anglo-Nubian, Saanen and Tottenburg goats, respectively. Bread differences in rectal temperature were small but significant (P < 0.001), and mean values increased from 38.9 degrees C before exercise to 39.7 degrees C after 1 h exercise. The breed x sites interaction for sweating was significant (P < 0.01). On the rump breed differences in sweating rate were not significant. On the loin, Toggenburg goats started to sweat most rapidly and reached maximal values of 80.2 +/- 10.6 g/m2/h after 20 min and then decreased to 70.0 +/- 4.3 g/m2/h at 60 min. Sweating rate on the ear was highest in Toggenburg goats, followed by those of Saanen and Anglo-Nubian goats (P < 0.05), but the differences were small (7 g/m2/h); peak values of 67.3 to 76.1 g/m2/h were recorded after 20 min. CONCLUSION: Respiration and sweating rates increased significantly during exercise in all three breeds of goats, but breed differences were marked only for respiration rate. The goats sweated more on the rump than on the loin on ear, with peak values after 40 min of exercise.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1987

Fluid balance in food-deprived lactating goats drinking saline.

Fluid balance was studied in four lactating goats during two 3 week periods, which included 30 h periods of food deprivation. In one period the goats were given 0.9% NaCl to drink, and in the other they were given water. Prior to food deprivation, fluid intake and urinary flow were similar in the two groups, but urinary Na+ excretion was higher in the saline-drinking goats. The plasma renin activity was depressed in saline-drinking goats, while the plasma aldosterone concentration was the same both in saline-drinking and water-drinking animals. Food deprivation depressed fluid intake and urine flow in all goats, but the reduction was more pronounced in goats drinking saline. The urinary Na+ and K+ excretion also decreased, in both groups, as did plasma Na+ concentration and osmolality. The plasma protein concentration increased in both groups, indicating that hypovolaemia had developed. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (r.a.a.s.) became activated in goats drinking water, but not in the group drinking saline. It is suggested that sodium retention may have attenuated the activation of the r.a.a.s. in the latter group. The results of this study show that hyponatraemic hypovolaemia develops during starvation in lactating goats, regardless of the sodium state of the animals. The possibility that the hyponatraemic hypovolaemia is secondary to an impeded Na+ and fluid absorption from the rumen reticulum is discussed.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1967

The effect of very frequent milking and of oxytocin on the yield and composition of milk in fed and fasted goats.

1. The effect of milking goats 1-4 times an hour for 3-12 hr on the yield and composition of milk has been studied in fed and fasted animals at all stages of lactation.2. It was essential to inject oxytocin (50-400 m-u. I.V.) just before each milking to remove all the milk already in the udder and then the yield was similar to that obtained on twice daily milking (105 +/- 2.1 S.E.%). There were no significant differences between goats or between the two glands of one goat, even if one had been denervated by autotransplantation. However, the variation from hour to hour was 1.5 times greater than from day to day.3. The claim of Zaks (1964) and Zaks, Natochin, Sokolova, Tanasichuk & Tverskoy (1965) that milking every 15 min always produces a large rise in milk Na and a fall in K and lactose, which is characteristic of alveolar milk, is not substantiated. In high yielding goats milking gently by hand or with a cannula caused a small change in K only, but vigorous hand milking exacerbated this fall and also caused a fall in lactose and a rise in Na and Cl. Still larger changes were produced by using excessively large doses of oxytocin (2500 m-u.) when there was also a rise in citrate and total nitrogen. Hourly milking in goats fasted for 24 hr had the same effect.4. In fasted goats the milk yield fell to 90% within 8 hr and to 56 +/- 2.1% of the previous level by 24 hr. It remained at this level for a further 10-12 hr on twice daily or on hourly milking. The yields of autotransplanted glands usually fell slightly but significantly more than that of the glands in situ. In most goats mammary blood flow was halved but in all animals there were large falls in mammary uptake of glucose, acetate and amino acids and greatly increased uptake of free fatty acids. There were significant differences between fasted goats on hourly milking.5. It is concluded that, in spite of changes in milk composition, milking hourly can be a useful technique for studying milk secretion. The striking effects of a short fast in a lactating animal are emphasized.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Immune responses of goats persistently infected with caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus.

Eight cesarean-derived goat kids were inoculated with caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV), and proliferative responses of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells to mitogens and CAEV antigen were monitored for 9 months. Antibody specific for CAEV was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Five cesarean-derived noninfected goats were tested simultaneously. Significant differences between the infected and control mononuclear cell proliferation reactions to CAEV began 14 days post-inoculation and continued in a fluctuant manner until 134 days post-inoculation. The magnitude of the proliferative reaction steadily increased in infected goats until the end of the experiment at 271 days post-inoculation. Responses to mitogens were not significantly different between infected and control goats. Virus-inoculated goats produced CAEV-specific antibody that reached a maximum level between 49 and 77 days post-inoculation and then declined to lower levels through 271 days post-inoculation. The virus-inoculated goats developed mild but characteristic clinical evidence of caprine arthritis-encephalitis, and CAEV was reisolated from four goats at 286 days post-inoculation. The five control goats developed neither an anti-CAEV immune response nor clinical disease, and CAEV could not be reisolated from them.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Experimental infection of goats, sheep and calves with the large colony type of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides.

Goats, sheep and calves were inoculated intravenously with strain Y3343 of the large colony type of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides isolated from a goat with polyarthritis. The goats and sheep died of septicemia (one was killed in extremis) within eight days. The goats had leukopenia and granulocytopenia. Coagulopathy was indicated in some goats; the fibrinogen titer, prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times increased with the progress of disease and the number of platelets decreased dramatically in one goat. Goats and sheep had cellulitis at the site of inoculation, pleural hemorrhages, pneumonia, myocarditis, renal infarcts, glomerulitis, adrenal cortical necrosis, enteritis, focal splenic necrosis, polyarthritis and lymphadenitis. Vasculitis and thrombi were seen occasionally, suggesting that vascular changes, perhaps together with coagulopathy, had a role in pathogenesis. One of two experimental calves developed a slight fever, arthritis and minor inflammation of adrenal tissue. Calves seen less susceptible to the mycoplasma organism given intravenously than do goats or sheep.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

In-vivo studies of mammary development in the goat using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Mammary development and regression were measured in goats in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Measurements were made during the first and second cycles of pregnancy, lactation and involution. In primiparous goats, and exponential pattern of growth was evident during gestation and for the first 2 weeks of lactation. Parenchyma volume correlated significantly with milk yield across goats during early lactation, and across stage of lactation within goats. Milking was discontinued in Week 26 of the first lactation. Involution was characterized by an initial accumulation of fluid (over 2 days) followed by reabsorption; parenchyma volume did not decrease significantly until the 3rd week of involution, which was also the time at which these goats were mated to start their second gestation. Their udders still contained significant quantities of fluid (40-60% of the gross volume), but parenchyma volume was also greater (by 4.7-fold) than in goats beginning their first gestation. By Week 15 of gestation there was no longer a parity difference in parenchyma; the udders of first-gestation goats had grown significantly, but those of second-gestation goats had not. Conversely, between gestation Week 15 and lactation Week 2 mammary growth was significantly more rapid in the second cycle, such that the udder was larger at the start of the second lactation.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Purification, partial characterization, and development of a specific radioimmunoassay for goat placental lactogen.

Placental lactogen (PL) was isolated from goat cotyledonary tissue by a combination of mild alkaline extraction, anion and cation exchange chromatography, chromatofocussing and molecular filtration. The product, enriched 15,000-fold from the initial extract, was homogeneous when examined by SDS-gel electrophoresis (Mr 22,500) and isoelectricfocussing indicated a pI of 8.35 with a trace contaminant of pI 8.0. When assessed by relative binding activity in radioreceptor assays (RRA), goat PL exhibited somatotropic activity equivalent to 2.2 units/mg dry weight and lactogenic activity equivalent to 28.5 units/mg. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for goat PL is described that is highly sensitive (190 pg/tube) and has acceptable repeatability within and between assays (6 and 13%, respectively). The assay is not affected by goat pituitary extracts or partly purified goat growth hormone and prolactin. Despite the marked increase in sensitivity of the RIA over that previously available when goat PL was measured by RRA, the hormone was not detected in jugular plasma of goats before Day 44 of pregnancy; concentrations increased thereafter and highest levels were measured during the last third of pregnancy in animals bearing triplets. Measurements by RIA are in general agreement with those obtained earlier in several studies in which RRAs were used. The hormone was detected in amniotic fluid. Maternal concentrations of goat PL declined before parturition and were undetectable by 18 h post partum.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Placental production of 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol in goats.

A major product of progesterone metabolism by the goat placenta in vitro was found to be 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol. The concentration of this steroid has been measured by radio-immunoassay in the peripheral circulation during pregnancy. Peripheral plasma concentrations of 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol were low (less than 6 nmol/l) in anoestrous and nonpregnant ovariectomized goats, and during the first month of pregnancy but increased progressively after day 45 of pregnancy, reaching 78-94 nmol/1 between days 112 and 142. Thereafter levels declined before term. Changes in the plasma concentration of 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol during pregnancy in the goat therefore resembled those of progesterone in the sheep. Plasma concentrations of 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol between day 70 and term were not influenced by repeated administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate from days 51 to 82 or by lutectomy in goats treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate. Secretion of 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol by the uterus and its contents was indicated by a positive venous-arterial difference across the uterus between days 128 and 141 in three ovariectomized pregnant goats receiving medroxyprogesterone acetate. Comparison of the rates of metabolism of progesterone by homogenates of placenta in vitro showed that the placental tissue from goats was three time more active in this respect than was tissue from sheep. The ratio of the plasma concentrations of 5 beta-pregnane-3 alpha,20 alpha-diol and progesterone in late pregnancy in ovariectomized or lutectomized goats exceeded by a factor of 10 that in sheep at a comparable stage of gestation. It is suggested that reductive metabolism of progesterone before it is secreted may account for the inability of the placenta to maintain pregnancy after ovariectomy in goats.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Responses induced by arginine-vasopressin injection in the plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, growth hormone and metabolites around weaning time in goats.

In order to assess the biological significance of weaning and water deprivation on the control of plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, growth hormone (GH) and metabolites in response to stimulation with arginine-vasopressin (AVP) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), we carried out three experiments in which male goats before and after weaning were intravenously injected with AVP or CRH alone, or in combination with each other. In experiment 1, 17-week-old (post-weaning) goats were intravenously injected with AVP or CRH alone at the doses of 0.1, 0.3 and 1.0 nmol/kg body weight (BW). The AVP injection significantly and dose dependently increased plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol, GH and metabolites, whereas the injection with CRH did not cause significant increases in the levels of these parameters. In experiment 2, 4-week-old (pre-weaning) and 13-week-old (post-weaning) goats were injected with either AVP or CRH alone, followed by a combined injection of both secretagogues at a dose of 0.3 nmol/kg BW. Although the basal levels of the hormones and metabolites, with the exception of glucose, were greater in the 4-week-old goats, the hormone responses induced by stimulation with AVP were weaker than those induced in 13-week-old goats. Additionally, there were no responses in any hormone patterns to CRH stimulation in 4-week-old goats. In experiment 3, 13-week-old goats were injected with CRH alone followed by injection with AVP for two consecutive days of water deprivation. The animals were subjected to withdrawal of up to 20% of the total blood volume and water deprivation for up to 28 h. However, no significant differences in plasma ACTH, cortisol or GH levels were observed between days 1 and 2. Based on these results, we concluded that: (1) AVP is a more potent stimulant than CRH in terms of its ability to induce increases in plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol and GH; (2) the role of AVP as a secretagogue of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal hormones is strengthened, whereas the ineffective role of CRH remains unaltered, by weaning; (3) acute stress such as massive withdrawal of blood volume and subjection to water deprivation may not be sufficient burdens to alter stress-related hormone levels in young goats.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed2006

Genetic diversity of nine populations of the black goat (Capra hircus) in Sichuan, PR China.

Sixteen polymorphic primers screened from 100 random primers were selected to analyze the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) of 540 domesticated black goats (Capra hircas) from 9 different geographical populations in Sichuan Province of China. After the test, 170 entirely repeatable RAPD markers representing goat polymorphisms were obtained from the 16 polymorphic primers, the lengths of the markers ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 kb. The genetic distance among the black goat populations ranges from 0.1051 to 0.2978. The similarity coefficient (0.9002) between Jintang and Lezhi black goats was the highest in the 9 populations, followed by the coefficient (0.8953) between Jialing and Yinshan goats, while that between Jiangan and Huili goats was found to be the lowest (0.7424). The coefficient of differentiation among population genes (Gst) was 0.2766, indicating a comparatively low degree of differentiation among the black goat populations. A UPGMA dendrogram constructed from similarity coefficients showed that the two populations from Huili and Baiyu, which are found mostly on the Western Sichuan plateau and in mountainous areas, clustered together, and the other seven populations formed another group. It can also be clearly seen that the Huili and Baiyu populations are very special, and must have been closely related in the past, even though their link with the other populations is quite weak as a result of genetic communication. The results of the experiment offer some crucial scientific data useful for the breeding of black goats.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Hepatic effects of halothane and isoflurane anesthesia in goats.

OBJECTIVE: To determine hepatic effects of halothane and isoflurane anesthesia in young healthy goats. DESIGN: Randomized prospective clinical trial. ANIMALS: 24 healthy 9-month-old female goats. PROCEDURE: Goats were sedated with xylazine hydrochloride and ketamine hydrochloride and anesthetized with halothane (n = 12) or isoflurane (12) while undergoing tendon surgery. End-tidal halothane and isoflurane concentrations were maintained at 0.9 and 1.2 times the minimal alveolar concentrations, respectively, and ventilation was controlled. Venous blood samples were collected approximately 15 minutes after xylazine was administered and 24 and 48 hours after anesthesia, and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activities and bilirubin concentration were measured. Goats were euthanatized 25 or 62 days after anesthesia, and postmortem liver specimens were submitted for histologic examination. RESULTS: All goats recovered from anesthesia and survived until euthanasia. Serum SDH, GGT, and ALP activities and bilirubin concentration did not increase after anesthesia, but serum AST activity was significantly increased. However, serum hepatic enzyme activities were within reference limits at all times in all except 1 goat in which serum AST activity was high 24 and 48 hours after anesthesia. This goat had been anesthetized with halothane and had the longest duration of anesthesia. No clinically important abnormalities were seen on histologic examination of liver specimens. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that use of halothane or isoflurane for anesthesia in young healthy goats is unlikely to cause hepatic injury.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1990

Feed intake and weight gain of growing goats fed diets of various energy and protein levels.

Growing goats, 45 Alpine and 45 Nubian, were used in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement to quantify the influence of dietary energy and protein levels on daily DM intake and nutrient utilization for growth. Goats had ad libitum access to complete mixed diets containing either 2.46, 2.77 or 3.05 Mcal/kg ME plus 11.2, 12.7 or 15.1% CP for 16 wk. Dry matter intake decreased curvilinearly as dietary ME density increased (P less than .001). Dry matter intake increased linearly (P less than .05) as dietary CP level increased during all growth intervals except wk 25 to 28 of age. Average daily gain was 115, 113 and 99 g/d for goats fed diets containing 2.46, 2.77 and 3.05 Mcal/kg ME, respectively. Average daily gain was 104, 106 and 117 g/d for goats fed diets with 11.2, 12.7 and 15.1% CP, respectively. Dry matter intake was higher (P less than .01) for Alpine than for Nubian goats, whereas ADG was similar between breeds. Intake of ME was 248, 260 and 198 kcal/(kg.75.d) for goats fed the low- medium- and high-energy diets, respectively. Intake of CP was 9.1, 10.7 and 13.2 g/(kg.75.d) for goats fed low-, medium- and high-protein diets, respectively. Average requirements for growth derived from regression analysis of all data points were 4.6 kcal ME and .26 g CP/g ADG. The prediction equation for intake of growing goats of 4 to 8 mo of age was: DMI, g/d = 1,749 - 496 DE, kcal/g + 18 live weight, kg + 3 ADG, g/d; r2 = .73 (Sy.x = 127, P less than .0001, n = 90). The requirement of ME for growth was 33% lower than the value recommended in 1981 by the National Research Council.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Forage intake and nutrition of range goats in a shrubland in northeastern Mexico.

Voluntary intake and nutritive value of diets selected by goats grazing a shrubland at Marin county, N.L., Mexico were determined. Four esophageally cannulated Spanish female goats (average BW 35 kg), were used to collect extrusa samples monthly throughout 1 yr (June 1987 to May 1988). Organic matter intake (OMI) was estimated by total fecal collections from four castrated Spanish male goats (average BW 42 kg). Diets selected by goats were high in CP throughout the year (means = 18.9%). Available CP represented only about half the total CP. The ADF content of extrusa samples differed (P less than .05) among months, with high ADF values during winter months. Dietary lignin followed a similar pattern during the year. Goats consumed forage with sufficient amounts of Ca, Na, K, Mg, Cu, ZN, Mn, and Fe to meet requirements. The OMI of goats was different (P less than .05) among sampling periods. On the average, estimated OMI (means = 878.7 g/d) compared well with results of other studies in the area. Amounts of DE consumed by goats (1.1 Mcal DE/d) were not sufficient to meet requirements for maintenance plus low activity. High levels of browse in the diets presumably were responsible for low in vitro OM digestibility (means = 34.1%) throughout the year. Thus, productivity of range goats in these areas should be improved by supplementing with protein and energy.

Animal Feed↗