Feeding of goats Flashcards
Breeds of goats
Dairy: Alpine, Anglo-Nubian, Saanen
Meat: Boer, Hungarian imperial
Digestive physiology of goats
- better adapted to environmental conditions than sheep and cattle
- more selective eaters; browsers, prefer shrubs, tree leaves (80%)
- have high tolerance towards bitter taste as well as tannins (in tree leaves)
- DMI capacity is higher - 2-5% BW
- larger volume of rumen
- dense papillae in rumen —> huge surface area —> efficient absorption of VFAs
- higher number of cellulolytic bacteria
- have higher level of ammonia (due to higher DMI)
- higher level of microbial protein synthesis
- longer retention time —> netter digestibility
- high amount of saliva secreted —> increased fibre fermentation
- intensive urea recycling
- water turnover is unique: water intake is low, goats can tolerate absolute water deprivation, concentrated urine
Breeding cycle of goats
- BW: 60-100 kg
- pregnancy: ~150 days
- lactation: 8,5 - 10 months (dairy goats: 900 days!)
- dry period: 2 - 3,5 months
- chemical composition of milk is close to cow’s but better (more essential AAs)
- daily milk yields is ~4 kg/day
- ~1000kg of milk per lactation
- mating: autumn (Aug-Sep)
- calving: Jan-Feb
- seasonal breeders
Expression of energy and protein requirements for goats
- NE l
- MP
BCS, flushing
- desirable BCS 3
- flushing is not as common as in ewes, done if BCS «< 3
Feeding of dairy goats. Gestation without lactation
- first 15 weeks in first pregnancy and mid-pregnancy (6-15 weeks) in later pregnancies
- maintenance level
- pasture, forages/roughages
Feeding of dairy goats. Late gestation and lactation
- last 4-6 weeks of gestation
- high energy and nutrients demand
- forages/roughages + concentrates (2,7-3 kg/day, twice at milking)
Feeding of breeding bucks
- In breeding season: pasture or forages + concentrates (oats) (1-1,5 kg)+ Zn, Se supplementation
- Outside of breeding season: pastures/forages + concentrates (0,5 kg)
- **NE m, MP
- BCS: 3
Feeding of kids (goatlings)
- birth BW: 2-4 kg
- colostrum! (In dairy: bootle feeding); 10% of BW
- after colostrum period, on the 2nd day of life kids are separated from life, milk replacer is fed
- milk replacer (25% CP, 28% EE)
- from 7 days creep feeds are introduced: starter diet/ oats, alfalfa hay, straw ad lib
Feeding of young goats
- weaning at 6 weeks with BW of 12 kg
- mating: 7-12 months, BW ≥ 35 kg
- NO maize because rapid fermentation may lead to problems
- goat diet, concentrates (barley/oats/sorghum)
- alfalfa ad lib
Nutritional disorders in sheep and goats
- pregnancy toxaemia
- hypocalcemia
- enterotoxaemia
- poliencephalomalacia
- white muscle disease
- urolithiasis
- cobalt deficiency
Pregnancy toxaemia
- common disorder of ewes and does
- condition when drastically low level of blood glucose damages the brain, causes hydration, renal failure and results in death
- occurs in late gestation (last 4-6 weeks)
- caused by inadequate energy intake (energy demand is increased a lot because of tense foetal growth) —> fat is broken down —> ketone bodies are produced
Which dams are most at risk of pregnancy toxaemia?
- late pregnancy with multiple foetus
- fat animals!!
- feed intake is decreased ( foetal pressure, decreased rumen volume)
- grazed on pastures low in nutrients
- diseases (foot rot, worm infestation)
- extreme weather condition
Signs of pregnancy toxaemia
- decreased feed intake
- decreased rumen motility
- nervous system signs: depression, tremors, etc
- laying down for days and eventually will die (3-4 days)
Chow can pregnancy toxaemia be treated?
- glucose administration
- good quality hays and oats
- inducing parturition / c-section
How can pregnancy toxaemia be prevented?
- maintaining BCS
- pregnancy scanning (for twins, triplets), should be fed accordingly
- supplementary grains in last weeks of pregnancy
Hypocalcemia in sheep and goats
- very similar to dairy cows
- calcium is low, muscular contractility is bad
- either inadequate Ca intake (grazing cereal regrowth; consuming feed with high oxalate level) or inability to metabolise/absorb calcium
What sheep and goat are most at risk of hypocalcemia?
- big difference with cattle: hypocalcemia can develop before lactation, in late pregnancy
- older dams!
- multiple foetuses
Signs of hypocalcemia in sheep and goats
- rapid onset
- weakness
- decreased rumen motility
- stiff, uncoordinated movement movements
- muscle trembling (goats!)
- inability to stand up
- vaginal prolapse (fatty animals)
- death (24 hours)
How to treat and prevent hypocalcemia
Treatment:
- Calcium injections (rapid recovery; repeated treatment)
- rapid recovery is important because that’s what is gonna distinguish hypocalcemia and pregnancy toxaemia)
Prevention:
- adequate dietary Ca throughout gestation
- Ca : P = 2 : 1
Diseases that look like pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcemia: acidosis, cerebral abscesses, scrapie, rabies
Most important about pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcemia
- similar signs: decreased rumen motility, depression, in necropsy: yellow liver in toxaemia, no such sign in hypocalcemia
- causes are different: low levels of glucose vs low levels of calcium; therefore treatments are different
- prevention: feeding managements
Enterotoxaemia
= overeating disease = pulpy kidney disease
- more frequent in sheep
- any age but most common in lambs
- causative agent is part of normal intestinal microflora
- background: diet rich in carbohydrates —> overgrowth of Clostridium perfrigens type D —> toxin —> increasing vascular permeability (in brain as well)
Clinical signs of Tupi D enterotoxaemia
- sudden death of animals with good BCS
- pushing head against fixed objectives
- lesions: edema and malacia in cerebellum; autolysis of kidneys
How to diagnose and control type D enterotoxaemia?
Diagnose: sudden death and special toxin in small intestinal fluid
Control:
- immunization
- feeding highly fermentable CHs in small meals with additional feeds
Polyencephalomalacia. Causes
= thiamine (B1) deficiency = CCN (corticocerebral necrosis)
- fattening lambs and kids
- etiology: similar to enterotoxaemia:
- high CH diet —> higher demand for vit B1
- excess of CH —> decrease of rumen pH —> more thiaminase-producing bacteria
- sulphate (molasses, CGF) will inhibit thiamine utilisation in rumen
- some weeds contain thiaminase
Polyencephalomalacia. Clinical signs. Treatment
- decreased appetite
- recumbency, stargazing, spasms
- death
Treatment: thiamine therapy, increase of forage intake
White muscle disease (Se and vit E def)
- sheep > goat, young animals are most affected by
- acute degeneration of cardiac and skeletal muscles
- soils low in Se!!!
Clinical signs of white muscle disease. Treatment
- stiffness
- arched back
- cardiac arrhythmia
- respiratory distress
- AST and LDH increase
- death or animal can respond favourably
- white striations in necropsy
Selenium and vitamin E supplementation on salt lick
Urolithiasis
- round sediments of different diameter of protein and minerals
- castrated and intact rams/bucks
- excess protein, P and Ca are excreted
- feeding excess amount of cereal (P)
- affected animals have alkaline urine
- struvite calculi (NH4MgPO4)
Why is more common in males?
Narrow urethra
Urolithiasis. Clinical signs. Treatment. Prevention
- painful urination
- kicking the area of the penis
- lethargy
- decreased appetite
- bladder rupture
- death
Treatment: pain management, NH4Cl to acidify urine, water ad lib to dilute urine
Prevention: optimum Ca : P ratio at least 2 : 1; hays instead of cereals (alfalfa)
Cobalt deficiency
= white liver disease = pine
- cobalt is a component of vitamin B12 —> important for propionate metabolism
- weaned lambs
- late summer/autumn
- cause of cobalt deficiency: soil low in cobalt
- signs: poor growth rate, lethargy, poor appetite, immunosuppression, anaemia
- necropsy: liver is pale, swollen, fatty
- cobalt supplemented salt lick. Legumes > cereals —> mixed pastures!!
