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The effect of early weaning on the lactation performance of Damascus goats and the growth rate of the kids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. Louca ,
A. Mavrogenis  and
M. J. Lawlor
A. Louca
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
A. Mavrogenis
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
M. J. Lawlor
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Summary

One hundred and four Damascus goats with their kids were used study the effects of early weaning on the lactation of the goats and the growth rate of the kids. The treatments studied were: 2-day suckling (S2) where the kids were suckled by their dams for 2 days a d then reared artificially on milk replacer; 35-day suckling (S35) where the dams suckled their kids for 35 days; 70-day suckling (S70) where the dams suckled their kids for 70 days.

The differences among treatments in 150-day and total milk yield and lactation length were not significant. Conversely, the differences in the yield of milk available for marketing were highly significant. The goats on S2 produced more marketable milk than those on S35 and S70, and the goats on S35 produced more than those on S70. The growth rate of the kids weaned at 35 days of age was significantly lower than that of those weaned at 70 days. The differences between kids reared artificially and those suckled by their dams to 70 days of age were not significant. It was concluded that early weaning does not materially affect lactation performance and that it can increase the milk available for marketing.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , April 1975 , pp. 213 - 218
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1975

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References

Harvey, W. R. 1960. Least squares analysis of data with unequal subclass numbers. United States Department of Agriculture, ARS-20–8 (Mimeograph).Google Scholar
Lawlor, M. J., Louca, A. and Mavrogenis, A. 1974. The effect of three suckling regimes on the lactation performance of Cyprus Fat-tailed, Chios and Awassi sheep and the growth rate of the lambs Anim. Prod. 18: 293–299.Google Scholar
Louca, A. 1972. The effect of suckling regime on growth rate and lactation performance of the Cyprus Fat-tailed and Chios sheep. Anim. Prod. 15: 53–59.Google Scholar