Feed intake and its effect on ruminal growth and development in goats
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence that supplementary concentrate feed has on rumen development in goats under two months of age. 26 animals, with an initial average body weight of 3.30 ± 0.68 kg were included in one of two treatments. Treatment 1 consisted of offering the animals a diet based on 100% milk replacer. In treatment 2, the animals were fed with replacer and concentrate feed. Measurements of height at the hip, height at the withers and body weight were taken. To assess ruminal development, ten animals were euthanized at eight weeks of age and samples of the rumen tissue were taken to measure the length and width of papillae, and the thickness of the rumen wall. A record of each animal's daily consumption of both concentrate feed, milk replacer was kept, and the feeding cost of each animal was determined according to each treatment. Weekly consumption of liquid diet ranged between 5.0 and 16.20 L. There were significant differences for the consumption of dry matter, crude protein and metabolizable energy between treatments. Live weight of animals varied from 3.27 to 12.66 kg. The results of height at the withers and height at the hip did not show significant differences between animals. The length and width of the papillae, and thickness of the ruminal wall were statistically higher in animals that consumed the liquid diet + concentrate feed, with values of 11.42; 5.43 and 1.36 mm, respectively. The average cost of feed and labor per animal varied from ₡56,651.28 (US$96.02) to ₡59,136.48 (US$100.23). The consumption of a grain-based feed in goats from the second to eight weeks of age promoted rumen development.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2025 Yeison David Meléndez-Coto, Jorge Andrés Campos-Alfaro, Andrés Álpizar-Naranjo, Jorge Alberto Elizondo-Salazar
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