ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of injectable trace minerals (ITM) on growth, health, antioxidant enzyme activity, and immune system of newborn Boer kids. Newborn kids (n = 125) were assigned to one of two treatments: injection (0.1 mL 4.5 kg-1) of saline or ITM. Injectable trace minerals had 60, 10, 5, and 15 mg mL-1 of Zn, Mn, Se, and Cu, respectively. Kids were evaluated daily for the presence of diarrhea and weighted on […]

This review deals with the most relevant limits and developments of the modeling of intake of sheep and goats reared intensively and extensively. Because small ruminants are normally fed ad libitum, voluntary feed intake is crucial in feeding tactics and strategies aimed at optimal animal production. The effects of genetic, neuroendocrine, hormonal, feed and environmental factors on voluntary feed intake were discussed. Then, several mathematical models to estimate dry matter intake (DMI) were examined, with emphasis on empirical models for […]

The effects of inactive dry yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) from sugar cane were studied in 18 primiparus Saanen dairy goats (51.07±1.43) on dry matter intake and digestibility, milk production and quality. Animals were distributed in a completely randomized design during 90 days (from day 60 of milking). Diets were composed of soybean meal; soybean meal + dry yeast; or dry yeast, as protein sources, and ground corn, mineral supplement and corn silage (40%). Animals fed the dry yeast diet showed lower […]

Diets formulated with protein sources presenting different resistance to ruminal degradation were compared by evaluating ruminal parameters, production and microbial efficiency and nutrients flow to the omasum in goats. Eight rumen cannulated non-lactating, non-pregnant goats were distributed in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with two replicates. Treatments consisted of four diets where different sources of plant protein accounted for the major protein source named soybean meal, source of higher ruminal degradability, and three other sources of higher resistance […]

In order to evaluate the use of oilseeds in the diet of goat kids, two experiments were performed. Experimental treatments consisted of four different total mixed diets, all containing oat hay, ground corn, soybean meal and mineral supplement, and differing in oilseeds inclusion (dry matter basis), according to the treatments: 1) control (without oilseeds), 2) diet containing 7.87% flaxseed, 3) diet with 7.30% sunflower seed, and 4) diet containing 8.00% canola. In the first experiment (to evaluate the performance), 28 […]

It was used 27 goat kids (18 ¾ Boer + ¼ Saanen and nine Saanen; 18.0 ± 1.60 kg) distributed in a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement to evaluate productive performance and the total digestibility of dry matter and nutrients in the rations. Diets were composed of soybean meal, soybean meal + dry yeast or dry yeast as protein source, oat hay, ground corn and vitamin-mineral mixture with mean composition of 2.50 Mcal of ME/kg DM and 17.0% of […]

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of neutral detergent fiber levels from forage (NDFf) in diets for lactating goats. Five goats were distributed in a 5 × 5 Latin square design, using five NDFf levels (19, 27, 35, 42 and 48%) as independent variable. Intakes of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), nonfibrous carbohydrates (NFC), total digestible nutrients (TDN) and net energy (NE) linearly decreased as NDFf levels increased. NDF intake was not […]

The aim of this study was to establish the morphologic and endocrine characteristics of luteal dynamics in goats. It was used Toggenburg female goats that showed natural estrus in a 48-hour interval. After estrus, ultrasonographic evaluations of the ovaries were daily performed during 21 days using a portable device (5MHz probe). Blood sample was collected for plasma progresterone (P4) determination. Corpora lutea were detected for the first time on day 5 and progressively increased in size until D9 (1.26 ± […]

Thirty-three dairy goats were used to evaluate the effects of partial replacement of soybean meal by urea or starea (urea + extruded corn) on milk production and composition and plasma glucose, urea nitrogen and nonesterified fatty acids concentrations. The animals were distributed in a randomized complete block design, with three experimental diets and eleven replicates. All the experimental diets were isonitrogenous, composed by 40% corn silage and 60% concentrate, with different nitrogenous sources (soybean meal, soybean meal + 2.8% starea […]

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of replacing concentrate by wet brewer grain on the intake and digestibility of nutrients in goats. It was used five Boer x Saanen crossbreed goats and five Saanen goats randomly distributed in two 5 x 5 latin squares. The diets were composed of 40% of Tifton hay and the other 60% were composed of 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% of wet brewer grain replacing the concentrate. The intake of […]