The effect of different fat supplements on intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance, milk yield and efficiency of nutrient utilization was evaluated in lactating dairy goats. Twenty-four dairy goats were assigned to a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replicates/treatment. The fat supplements tested were soybean oil (SO), calcium salts of long-chain fatty acids (CS) and whole soybean (WS), which contributed with 4.5% of dietary ether extract. A control diet with no added fat was also fed to the animals. […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate carcass characteristics, cuts yield, tissues proportion, and chemical composition and fatty acid profile of the Longissimus dorsi of feedlot kids fed diets, in which soybean hulls (SH) replaced ground corn grain (GCG). Fifteen Boer x Saanen male kids were assigned to a completely randomized design (five animals per treatment) and slaughtered at 33.82 ± 4.40 kg of body weight. Diets were composed by star grass hay (Cynodon spp), soybean meal, GCG and/or […]

The freezing ability of semen from Alpine and Saanen goats submitted to an artificial photoperiod exposure were evaluated by the thermo-resistance (TTR) and hypoosmotic (HOST) tests and integrity of the acrosome using eight male goats, four of each breed and two age groups (young and adults). The quality of semen during the freezing process was superior for the young animals of both breeds. Spermatic motility immediately after thawing showed a positive effect on TTR; animals with higher motility after collection […]

Twenty-two non-castrated male kids (10 Moxotó and 12 Canindé) averaging 15 kg of initial body weight and housed in individual pens were used in this trial. Animals were assigned to a completely randomized design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments [two breeds and two feeding levels: ad libitum (AL) or 30% of feed restriction (FR). Animals fed AL had greater yields of hot carcass, cold carcass, and carcass edible parts compared to those fed FR. It was […]

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) and different dietary net energy (NE) levels during prepartum on performance and concentration of plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in early lactating dairy goats. Animals (four replicates per treatment) were assigned to a completely randomized design in a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (two BCS, three levels of prepartum NE and two levels of postpartum NE). In the beginning of the […]

This study aimed to evaluate 27 microsatellites for genetic characterization of Brazilian native goats using samples of hair collected from 332 animals of the Moxotó, Canindé, Serrana Azul, Marota, Repartida and Graúna breeds. Twenty-seven microsatellites were selected, amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplified products were submitted to electrophoreses in poliacrylamide gel using an ABI 377XL automatic sequencer. The number of alleles ranged between three (MAF209) and twenty-three (CSSM66). Averages of expected and observed heterozigosity were respectively 0,672 and […]

The relationships among soluble proteins of the seminal plasma, the hypoosmotic test, the physical and morphologic analyses of semen and the reproductive performance of male goats of the Alpine breed under controlled mating were studied using forty samples of semen from four adult male goats collected twice a week between February and April of 2001. Differences among male goats were observed for soluble protein concentration of the seminal plasma, but not for the hypoosmotic test and the pregnancy rate. These […]

Fifty Alpine lactating does were used to evaluate the effects of feeding different levels of forage neutral detergent fiber (FNDF) on nutrient intake and milk yield and composition. Animals were housed individually and assigned to a completely randomized design with five treatments and ten replicates. A total mixed ration, containing Tifton-85 (Cynodon sp.) hay, ground corn, soybean meal and mineral mixture was fed ad libitum. The experimental diets contained 20, 27, 34, 41 or 48% of FNDF. As dietary FNDF […]

The objective of this trial was to study the effects of different dietary levels of forage neutral detergent fiber (FNDF) on feeding behavior of lactating goats. Fifty Alpine goats were randomly assigned to five treatments (ten replicates) in a completely randomized design. Animals had free access to diets containing: 20, 27, 34, 41 or 48% of FNDF. The total mixed ration was constituted of Tifton-85 (Cynodon sp.) hay and concentrate composed of ground corn (Zea mays L.), soybean meal (Glycine […]

The objective of this experiment was to study the effects of feeding whole goat milk or fermented cow colostrum supplemented or not with soy oil and with or without the growth promoter Zeranol on performance of kid goats. Twenty-four Alpine kid goats assigned to a completely randomized design in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement were used in this trial. The following variables were investigated: weight gain, intakes of dry matter and concentrate, feed conversion, and organ sizes. Significant differences […]