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In general, the lying behaviour of dairy goats follows a circadian progression. As lying times might have an effect on the health, performance and welfare of dairy goats, housing conditions and management practices should follow circadian behavioural patterns. In the present study, a mixed horned herd of Bunte Deutsche Edelziege was used. Goats were housed in a commercial dairy goat farm in south Germany. During two lactation periods, 20 goats in each period were fitted with an accelerometer to detect lying behaviour. To analyse the accelerometer data, a mixed linear model was used. The highest frequencies of lying bouts (FLBs) occurred in the afternoon, and the lowest ones occurred during milking. Generally, the least square means ± SE of the FLB counts per goat ranged between 1.72 ± 0.07 (20:00–21:59 P.M.) and 2.87 ± 0.07 (12:00–13:59 P.M.). The longest lying bouts (LBD) occurred at night, and lying bouts remained relatively short in the afternoon between milking times. The maximum LBD was 52.20 ± 0.01 min/bout (at night, 02:00–03:59 A.M.), and the shortest duration was 14.31 ± 0.01 min/bout (during morning milking, 08:00–09:59 A.M.). The interactions of time and month had a significant impact on FLB and LBD (p < 0.0001), and so did the interactions of horn status and time (p < 0.05). Further research is necessary to analyse the lying behaviour of dairy goats in more detail to improve management practices.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating linseed oil and fish oil in the diet on intake, ruminal fermentation, milk yield, and milk fatty acid profiles in dairy goats. Four crossbred Saanen lactating goats in mid-lactation and milking 1.30 ± 0.28 g/day were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The basal diet contained concentrate and Para grass (C:F 40:60). Treatments included a basal diet without oil supplementation (Ctrl) or with 2.5% linseed oil (LO2.5), 2.5% linseed oil and fish oil (3:2, w/w, LFO2.5), and 4.16% linseed oil and fish oil (3:2, w/w, LFO4.16). Diets had no effect on intake, milk yield, milk composition, or ruminal fermentation (p > 0.05). Compared with Ctrl, lower (p < 0.05) proportions of C10:0–C14:0 in milk fat were observed with LFO4.16. Compared with the Ctrl and linseed oil added alone, feeding LFO4.16 led to a greater (p < 0.01) concentration of C18:1 t11. Compared with both the Ctrl and LO2.5 diets, milk c9,t11 CLA was 4.53 and 2.94 times greater with the LFO4.16 diet. Compared with Ctrl and LO2.5 diets (0.06% and 0.08%), goats fed LFO2.5, and LFO4.16 had greater (p < 0.001) concentrations of C22:6n-3 (0.63% and 0.87%). Overall, the combined data suggested that including 4.16% linseed oil and fish oil in the diet of dairy goats was effective in improving the concentrations of health-promoting fatty acids in milk without affecting milk production.

It is widely assumed that the quality of human–animal interactions may have a strong impact on animals’ living conditions and is fundamental to improving farm animal welfare. This work aims to evaluate the effectiveness of methods for assessing and monitoring the welfare of lactating goats. In particular, attention was paid to the methods regarding the assessment of the human–animal relationship. The experimental protocol included three tests and observations in the milking parlour, namely: avoidance distance in the pen, avoidance distance at the manger, approach test within 2 min and behavioural observations of stockmen and animals during milking. Fourteen dairy goat farms located in the province of Potenza (Southern Italy) with flocks ranging in size from 67 to 450 lactating goats were used. All farms raised the Rossa Mediterranean goat breed. The percentage of goats that permitted themselves to be touched at the manger (mean ± SD: 12.36 ± 9.50) was higher than that found in the pen (9.67 ± 11.86) and within 2 min inside the pen (8.19 ± 13.78). The avoidance distance at the manger (0.63 ± 0.28 m) was shorter than that recorded in the pen (1.19 ± 0.58 m). Avoidance distance at the manger was positively correlated with that in the pen (Spearman correlation test (rs) = 0.607; p < 0.01), as was the percentage of goats touched at the manger and in the pen (rs = 0.647; p < 0.01). Approximately 60% of the stockman interactions observed during milking were neutral, while positive and negative interactions had similar values to each other, approximately 20%. The number of neutral stockman interactions was positively correlated with the percentage of goats moving when approached at a distance >1 m (rs = 0.799; p < 0.001) and was negatively correlated with the animals touched at the manger (rs = −0.607; p < 0.05), in the pen (rs = −0.613; p < 0.05) and within 2 min (rs = −0.669; p < 0.01). As regards the degree of association between the behaviour of the milker and the animals during the milking routine, the percentage of neutral interactions tended to be positively correlated only with the number of kicks performed by the animals (rs = 0.476; p < 0.10). It is concluded that avoidance distance at the manger and in the pen, as for other farm animals, are valid tests to evaluate the human–animal relationship in goats. In addition, avoidance distance at the manger may reliably replace the test performed in the pen.

"Karya Putra Mandiri" Livestock Farmer Group and "Makmur Sentosa" Livestock Group, Kec. Rejotangan Kab. Tulungagung is a foster partner of the Unair FKH Community Service Team. A common problem for breeders and administrators of the "Karya Putra Mandiri" Livestock Farmer Group and "Makmur Sentosa" Livestock Group, Kec. Rejotangan Kab. Tulungagung is a problem in production, among others are reproductive disorders, low pregnancy rates, low productivity in their dairy goats. The solution offered is to increase the skills and knowledge of dairy goat farmers in the "Karya Putra Mandiri" and "Makmur Sentosa" livestock groups on how to handle reproductive cases through synchronization of lust. Another problem is the "Karya Putra Mandiri" Livestock Farmer Group and the "Makmur Sentosa" Livestock Group, Kec. Rejotangan Kab. Tulungagung is a management problem. The solution offered is to increase the knowledge and assistance of dairy goat farmers in the “Karya Putra Mandiri” and “Makmur Sentosa” livestock groups in dairy goat milk processing, packaging and product licensing. The method used in the implementation of this community service activity is by; (1) Development and training stage; (2) Monitoring and evaluation stage. To evaluate the level of knowledge and understanding of the material given, pretest and posttest are given. This Community Service program activity was carried out from March to October 2018. Extension activities and training on Laserpuncture and Sexual Synchronization Technology were carried out using the tutorial method, then continued with discussions. The implementation of this Community Service Activity requires a budget of 30 million rupiah which is planned to be used in several posts including for equipment, consumables, travel, accommodation, and others.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing jackfruit leaves (JF) for Para grass (PG) on intake, digestibility, nitrogen balance, ruminal fermentation, milk yield and composition in lactating goats. Four crossbred Saanen lactating goats in mid-lactation and milking 1676 ± 112 g/day were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. A basal diet consisted of concentrate and PG (C:F 40:60). Treatments were dietary replacement of JL for PG at ratios of 0, 50, 75 and 100% corresponding to JL0, JL50, JL75 and JL100 diets, respectively. Feeding JL increased linearly (P

We evaluated the influence of the substitution of soybean meal by detoxified castor cake on performance, digestibility of nutrients, nitrogen balance, hepatic and renal functions of pregnant goats fed with diets containing detoxified castor cake by alkaline solutions during the stages (first two-thirds and final third) of pregnancy. Three diets were provided: one based on soybean meal and the other two based on castor cake detoxified with whit calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide. Goats fed detoxified castor cake sodium hydroxide had lower consumption. Was no effect (P>0.05) of diets or stages on the digestibility of dry matter and nutrients. The goats that received the diets based on soybean meal and detoxified castor cake calcium hydroxide consumed larger amounts of nitrogen. The goats fed with diet the basis of SM had greater weight in the parturition day. The average levels of enzymes for hepatic and renal functions were within normal patterns. Of enzymes related to liver metabolism, only the gamma-glutamyl transferase increased in the final third of pregnancy. The present study demonstrated that detoxified castor by sodium hydroxide reduces the consumption of goats during gestation, but did not affect negatively the renal and hepatic parameters. Made available in DSpace on 2022-10-28T20:08:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 cnpc-2022-Art36.pdf: 295666 bytes, checksum: 609c91cabd068bbcbe282eddad5dadc3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2022

The basic objective of the dairy goat farmers is to produce healthy and fertile animals at appropriate age, with maximum genetic expression and long productive duration. Longevity is an important economical parameter in the breeding program of the dairy goats. There are various factors which directly influence the production and longevity of the newborns such as age at birth, season, herds flock and breed. The present study aimed to study the effect of the parity and the production year on the kids’ longevity in Saanen dairy goats. The 5 year data (2012 to 2016) of total 222 Saanen female goats collected from the Uludag university experimental farm. The effect of parity on the kids’ longevity was found non-significant (P>0.05). Non-significant (P>0.05) difference was observed while comparing the data of kids from primiparous and multiparous within the production year. However, a significant (P0.05) difference was found in the kids born over the evaluated years. The present study did not investigate the voluntary and involuntary culling reasons and the management practices at the farm are more standardized than a normal commercial farm. Hence, further research is required at the commercial farms having large number of the animals and herds in order to use the parity and longevity in the present genetic evaluation programs.

Oil in water nanoemulsion represents a new and unstudied form of oil supplementation to the ruminant diet; that is why the aim was to evaluate the potential of nanoemulsified corn oil in dairy goats’ diets on milk productivity and fatty acid proportion. Twenty-four lactating Zaraibi goats in early lactation were randomly allocated to the following treatments: control—a basal diet without any supplementation, CO—the control diet + corn oil supplied at 3% on a dry matter basis (DM), NCO—the control diet + nanoemulsified corn oil provided at 3% on a DM basis. A completely randomized design that lasted 30 days (25 days of adaptation + 5 days of sampling) was used with eight goats in each treatment. The control diet consisted of 50% concentrate and 50% Egyptian berseem clover. The NCO increased the milk production, fat percentage, and yield compared to the CO and the control. The proportions of oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids were higher in the NCO compared to the control and CO. The NCO had less effect on the biohydrogenation intermediates’ profile than the CO; noticeably, higher proportions of unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) were associated with the NCO. In conclusion, the NCO increased milk production and decreased the transformation rate of UFA to saturated fatty acids in the biohydrogenation environment.

Endometrial development is a complicated process involving numerous regulatory factors. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been known as a member of the naturally occurring non-coding RNA family, and are reportedly crucial for a variety of physiological processes. This study investigated the circRNA landscape of non-pregnant endometrium of dairy goats during estrus. Non-pregnant endometrial samples of goats at estrus day 5 (Ed5) and estrus day 15 (Ed15) were used to methodically analyze the circRNA landscape using strand-specific Ribo-Zero RNA-Seq. A total of 2 331 differentially expressed (P

Background and Aim: Antimicrobial resistance poses a major threat to global public health. Foodstuff of animal origin can serve as potential vehicles for the dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and resistance genes to consumers. In view of the lack of knowledge about antimicrobial resistance in bacteria associated with goat milk, the aim of this study was to report species-level identification and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of a large collection of Staphylococcus spp. isolates recovered from raw goat milk in Brazil. Materials and Methods: A total of 434 Staphylococcus spp. isolates originated from 510 goat milk samples in Northeast Brazil were investigated. The isolates were obtained by conventional microbiological methods. Species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed by means of a semi-automated system using a panel for biochemical tests and broth microdilution method for 19 antimicrobial drugs. Results: Although Staphylococcus aureus (22.6%) accounted for the majority of the isolates, a total of 13 different non-aureus staphylococci spp. were identified. High resistance rates against erythromycin (40.8%), and the beta-lactams ampicillin (45.9%) and penicillin (42.9%) were observed among S. aureus isolates. The most significant findings were related to the resistance against quinupristin-dalfopristin, a drug of last resort used in human medicine to treat infections caused by vancomycin-resistant S. aureus and enterococci. Conclusion: The high diversity of Staphylococcus spp. showing phenotypic resistance against different antimicrobial drugs encourages further investigations on the real impact of these bacteria as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes to consumers. Furthermore, the potential impact of technological processes, such as pasteurization, fermentation, and maturation, on the maintenance and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance among the microbial populations in milk and dairy products must also be investigated.

Failure of passive immunity transfer is one of the main causes of increased susceptibility to infectious agents in newborn kids. To ensure successful transfer of passive immunity, kids need to be fed high-quality colostrum, containing an adequate concentration of IgG. This work evaluated the quality of colostrum obtained in the first 3 days postpartum from Malagueña dairy goats. The IgG concentration in colostrum was measured using an ELISA as a reference method, and it was estimated by optical refractometer. Colostrum composition in terms of fat and protein was also determined. The mean concentration of IgG was 36.6 ± 2.3 mg/mL, 22.4 ± 1.5 mg/mL and 8.4 ± 1.0 mg/mL on days 1, 2 and 3 after parturition, respectively. Brix values obtained using the optical refractometer were 23.2%, 18.6% and 14.1% for days 1, 2 and 3, respectively. In this population, 89% of goats produced high-quality colostrum with IgG concentrations of >20 mg/mL on the day of parturition, but this percentage declined dramatically over the following 2 days. The quality of the fresh colostrum estimated with the optical refractometer was positively correlated with those obtained using ELISA (r = 0.607, p = 0.001). This study highlights the importance of feeding first-day colostrum to newborn kids and demonstrates that the optical Brix refractometer is suitable for the on-farm estimation of IgG content in colostrum.

International audience; Genomic prediction of breeding values is routinely performed in several livestock breeding programs around the world, but the size of the training populations and the genetic structure of populations evaluated have, in many instances, limited the increase in the accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values. Combining phenotypic, pedigree, and genomic data from genetically related populations can be a feasible strategy to overcome this limitation. However, the success of across-population genetic evaluations depends on the pedigree connectedness and genetic relationship among individuals from different populations. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the genetic connectedness and population structure of Alpine and Saanen dairy goats from four countries involved in the European project SMARTER (SMAll RuminanTs Breeding for Efficiency and Resilience), including Canada, France, Italy, and Switzerland. These analyses are paramount for assessing the potential feasibility of an across-country genomic evaluation in dairy goats. Approximately, 9,855 genotyped individuals (with 51% French genotyped animals) and 6,435,189 animals included in the pedigree files were available across all four populations. The pedigree analyses indicated that the exchange of breeding animals was mainly unilateral with flows from France to the other three countries. Italy has also imported breeding animals from Switzerland. Principal component analyses (PCAs), genetic admixture analysis, and consistency of the gametic phase revealed that French and Italian populations are more genetically related than the other dairy goat population pairs. Canadian dairy goats showed the largest within-breed heterogeneity and genetic differences with the European populations. The genetic diversity and population connectedness between the studied populations indicated that an international genomic evaluation may be more feasible, especially for French and Italian goats. Further studies will investigate the accuracy of genomic breeding values when combining the datasets from these four populations.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of non-genetic factors on milk yield, its composition (fat, protein, dry matter and lactose) and the count of somatic cells in Murciano-Granadina goat breed, through the application of alternative nonparametric tests to routine parametric tests to explain the variability found in the population with respect the aforementioned traits. 2594 milk yield and composition records belonging to 159 goats from the selection nucleus were analysed. Predictors evaluated were farm, type of birth and parity order, live kids, parturition month, season and year, control number, control type, control month, season and year, days in lactation, days from first control, days from last control to drying, drying month, season and year. All of them presented a significant influence (p < .0001) on all the variables studied with the exception of the number of stillborn kids which did not significantly influence the percentage of each component and the year of drying which seemed not to significantly influence dry matter percentage. Conclusively, nongenetic factors affect milk yield and its compositions in the Murciano-Granadina goat breed. Additionally, the inclusion of the type of milk control and information related to the drying period in models predicting for milk yield and content may provide interesting information, which must be included in genetic evaluations to promote higher and better-quality milk production improving the profitability of autochthonous breeds.HIGHLIGHTS Non-genetic factors may affect milk components more than milk yield. Including factors related to lactation cycle can help identifying critical points. Drying-off period information promotes milk yield and quality. Studying nongenetic factors helps maximising milk predictive model potential. Factor combinations studied explain up to 41.8% of variability of milk yield.

The current cross-sectional study aimed at characterising the productivity and diseases affecting dairy goats kept by smallholder farmers in three sub-counties in Thika Region, Kenya. Standard questionnaires were administered to 240 farmers through face-to-face interviews and the outputs were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The farmers mainly kept crosses of Toggenburg (45.9%), Kenyan Alpine (29.5%) and Saanen (17.4%) dairy goats. The average dairy goat flock size was 4.5 (range 1–23) and 77.5% of the goats were kept for production of milk for domestic consumption. The average milk production per goat per day was 1.26 litres (range 0.5 to 3.5 litres) and was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with sub-county of origin, main occupation of the owner, breed, and lactation stages. Goats were mainly fed on napier grass, maize stovers, natural grass and hay; and these feeds did not influence (p > 0.05) the milk production levels. The farmers identified helminthosis (84.6%), pneumonia (32.9%), coccidiosis (25.8%) and mastitis (25%), as the most prevalent goat diseases. In conclusion, the study showed that dairy goat farming in greater Thika Region was characterised by low-input with an objective of provision of milk for home consumption. The observed challenges of low milk productivity and diseases should be addressed by the local extension workers through training on improved husbandry, nutrition and health management of the dairy goats.

RESUMO Objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar o efeito de dietas com diferentes níveis de energia no consumo de nutrientes, na produção e na composição do leite, no peso corporal e na relação benefício:custo de uma produção de cabras leiteiras. Foram utilizadas nove cabras, distribuídas em quadrado latino triplo 3 x 3. O ensaio teve duração de 60 dias, divididos em três períodos de 20 dias. Avaliaram-se rações completas contendo três níveis de energia: 65%, 70% e 75% de NDT. Os consumos de matéria seca, proteína bruta e matéria mineral foram superiores (P0,05) nas cabras recebendo dietas contendo 70% e 75% de NDT, todavia foi superior (P0,05) para os parâmetros físico-químicos de gordura, lactose, proteína bruta, extrato seco desengordurado, densidade, sais e condutividade do leite. Portanto, cabras alimentadas com níveis de energia entre 70% e 75% de NDT na dieta total aumentam a produção de leite, porém 75% de NDT na dieta proporciona melhor relação benefício:custo, havendo, para cada R$ 1,00 no custo investido na alimentação, R$ 1,52 de retorno financeiro. ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of diets with different energy levels on nutrient intake, milk production and composition, body weight and benefit:cost ratio of a dairy goat production. Nine goats were distributed in a triple 3 x 3 latin square design. The experiment lasted for 60 days, divided into three 20-day periods. Complete rations containing three energy levels were evaluated: 65%, 70% and 75% of TDN. The dry matter intake, crude protein and mineral matter consumption were higher (P 0.05) in goats receiving diets containing 70% and 75% TDN, but these diets produced more milk (P 0.05) in the physical-chemical parameters of fat, lactose, crude protein, defatted dry extract, density, salts and conductivity of the milk. Therefore, goats fed with diets of 70% and 75% of TDN in the total diet increased milk production. However, the diet with 75% of TDN provides a better benefit:cost ratio, as for every $ 1.00 in the cost invested, there was $ 1.52 of financial return.

The aim of the present study was to establish the changes in blood enzyme activities and some liver parameters in goats from the Saanen breed in different physiological conditions with subclinical ketosis (SCK). A total of 113 dairy goats with yearly milk yield of 680 L, in their 2nd to 3rd lactation were included in the study. The goats were divided in three groups: pregnant; recently kidded and lactating. Blood samples were obtained from all animals for determination of β-hydroxybutyrate (ВНВА), glucose (mmol/L), aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT, U/L), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT, U/L), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, U/L), alkaline phosphatase (AР, U/L), creatine kinase (CK, U/L), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT, U/L), total protein (TP, g/L), albumin (ALB, g/L) and total bilirubin (TB, μmol/L). The animals were classified as healthy (control) and with SCK according to their blood BHBA levels. Blood BHBA concentrations indicative for clinical ketosis (ВНВА

Extensively reared ruminants are seasonally exposed to ticks. Tick-related production losses and health issues have been well documented in cows and sheep but not in goats where relevant literature is scarce. The objective here was to investigate the association of hard tick infestation with milk production and udder health of dairy goats reared extensively. A cross-sectional study was carried out during May and June, in two dairy goat farms. The farms were located in Central and Northern Greece and were representative of typical extensive production systems. A total of 304 goats (n = 152 from each farm) were randomly selected. Each goat was examined for presence of hard ticks. Daily milk yield and quality characteristics were recorded. Udder health status was determined by milk somatic cell count (SCC) and total viable count (TVC). Tick infestation prevalence was 28.6%; it was associated with a significant (p < 0.001) increase in SCC and TVC (84.0% and 78.6%, respectively). The latter meant that infested goats were 3.7 times more prone to udder health problems (p < 0.001). There were not any significant effects (p > 0.05) on milk production. Overall, results suggest that control of tick infestation in extensively reared dairy goat herds is important for enhancing health and welfare status.

This study assessed the effects of social dominance on the behavioral estrus and ovarian parameters of dairy goats subjected to synchronous estrus induction during the non-breeding season. Synchronous estrus was induced in 23 dairy goats allocated to collective pens. Ovarian ultrasonography was performed at 12 h intervals from device removal to ovulation. Upon estrus onset (EO) detection, the goats were immediately removed from the pens. Dominance was scored according to EO in relation to device removal in each pen, with HD-high dominants (48 h; n = 5). Goats in estrus underwent flexible time artificial insemination (FxTAI) according to EO. The estrus response was 100.0%. The interval to estrus was longer (P0.05) among all groups. The interval from EO to FxTAI was longer in HD goats compared to the other groups (P

The study simulated different potential breeding programs to design the optimal breeding structure and operational management structure for Borana goat. It evaluated different scenarios using ZPLAN+ software to maximize the genetic gain, discounted profit and to determine the optimum size of the base population for a community-based breeding program (CBBP) nucleus. The study analyzed the different combinations of objective traits in the index, assessed the effect of changing the breeding buck to doe ratio, evaluated the impact of improved kid survival, and determined the optimum size of the base population for a CBBP. A two-tier breeding program based on 577 does in the CBBP and 1,006 does in the surrounding base flocks was assumed, where selected CBBP bucks were disseminated to the base populations. Combining the weight of kids at six months (SMWT) and the lactation milk yield of dams (LMY) in the selection index resulted in a genetic gain doe -1 generation -1 of 0.13 kg, 0.58 kg, 0.02 and 0.004 for SMWT, LMY, the number of kids that survived to market age (NKS) and the number of kids born (NKB), respectively. This also generated a total discounted profit of US$5.76 doe -1 over 10 year investment period. This result was 30 percent higher than when LMY was evaluated separately and 225.7 percent higher than when SMWT was evaluated separately. The addition of NKB and NKS traits in the selection index did not significantly change the genetic progress and the profit. However, further optimization of the combined SMWT and LMY by improving mating ratio only, and a combined improvement in mating ratio and kid survival rate resulted in a substantial increase in profit to US$11.13 doe- 1 and US$15.58 doe - 1, respectively over 10 year investment period. The maximum discounted profit was attained when the base population size was 3,579 breeding does. This resulted in accumulated total profit of US$14,776 over the 10 year investment period. A two-tier dispersed CBBP with a unit size of about 577 does in the nucleus and 3,579 does in the base is recommended. In Borana goat community-breeding program, breeding buck need to be selected using an index combining at least own live weight and dam milk yield performance. Essential requirements for ensuring the sustainability of such programs are also discussed in the paper. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche Fil: Getachew, Tesfaye. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; Etiopía Fil: Rischkowsky, Barbara. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; Etiopía Fil: Rekik, Mourad. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; Jordania Fil: Mueller, Joaquin Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche; Argentina Fil: Tessema, Tamirat . Yabelo Agricultural Research Center; Etiopía Fil: Solomon, Dawit. International Livestock Research Institute; Etiopía Fil: Haile, Aynalem. International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas; Etiopía

From the nineties, the working groups in charge of small ruminants in ICAR carried out surveys on topics related to milk recording and breeding programs in sheep and goats. These surveys were manual from 1988 to 2006, before being replaced by a yearly online questionnaire available to accept submission of data from ICAR countries having an activity in the field of dairy sheep and goats recording. This paper aims to analyse the evolution of milk recording in sheep and goats over the years, using the database (developed and maintained within the umbrella of ICAR Secretariat) updated by the responses from the on- line surveys. The database includes data on milk recording activities (by countries and by breeds), milk recording designs, average milk yield per lactation, recording devices, breeding schemes and selection criteria, and molecular information in sheep and goats. The valorisation of the on-line survey constitutes one of the main terms of reference of the sheep, goats and camelids working group and a synthesis is regularly presented at the working groups meeting. An overlook of the main evolutions of the milk recording activities in sheep and goats are presented, over the last 35 years. Ten to twelve countries filled out the questionnaire in each species. The number of animals in official milk recording reached 890, 000 ewes and 410, 000 does in 2021. In the large populations of Mediterranean countries, the impact of qualitative recording remains low, due to its cost. Use of simplified designs, which has been recommended by the working group has strongly increased over the years to exceed 90%.

Recent short-term studies on Murciano-Granadina goats have established that the optimal parameters to set up the milking machines are different according to the milk pipes height. Two groups of 52 fresh goats each were employed in 2 different experiments to confirm during an entire lactation period the best combinations of system vacuum pulsation rate and pulsator ratio in low-line and mid-line milking parlours. The experiment performed in the low-line milking parlour included one group milked with 40 KPa vacuum system level, 90 puls/min pulsation rate and 60/40 pulsation and a second group milked with 38 KPa vacuum system level, 90 puls/min pulsation rate and 60/40 pulsation ratio. The experiment carried out in mid-line included one group milked with 40 KPa vacuum system level, 90 puls/min pulsation rate and 60/40 pulsation ratio and a second group milked with 40 KPa vacuum system level, 120 puls/min pulsation rate and 60/40 pulsation ratio. Variables studied included milking efficiency, milk composition, cortisol, SCC and intramammary infections, teat-end oedema after milking and vacuum dynamics during milking. Considering the results of an entire lactation period, it was confirmed that when milking in mid-line, the combination of 40 KPa system vacuum, 90 cycles/min pulsation rate and 60/40 pulsator ratio showed optimal results of the above-mentioned variables. On the other hand, the use of 40 KPa in a low-line system increased the milk cortisol values (0.34 ± 0.1 vs. 0.44 ± 0.1 ng/mL) without any other advantage. Thus, the recommendation is to use a combination of 38 KPa system vacuum, 90 cycles/min pulsation rate and 60/40 pulsator ratio to enhance animal welfare.

The microencapsulated mixture of organic acids and pure botanicals (OA/PB) has never been evaluated in goats. The aim of this study was to extend the analysis to mid–late lactating dairy goats, evaluating the effects of OA/PB supplementation on the metabolic status, milk bacteriological and composition characteristics, and milk yield. Eighty mid–late lactating Saanen goats were randomly assigned to two groups: one group was fed the basal total balanced ration (TMR) (CRT; n = 40) and the other was fed a diet that was TMR supplemented with 10 g/head of OA/PB (TRT; n = 40) for 54 days during the summer period. The temperature–humidity index (THI) was recorded hourly. On days T0, T27, and T54, the milk yield was recorded, and blood and milk samples were collected during the morning milking. A linear mixed model was used, considering the fixed effects: diet, time, and their interaction. The THI data (mean ± SD: 73.5 ± 3.83) show that the goats did not endure heat stress. The blood parameters fell within the normal range, confirming that their metabolic status was not negatively influenced by OA/PB supplementation. OA/PB increased the milk fat content (p = 0.04) and milk coagulation index (p = 0.03), which are effects that are looked on as favorable by the dairy industry in relation to cheese production.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) supplementation on performance, nutrient apparent digestibilities, plasma metabolites, and milk quality in dairy goats. Twenty-four lactating Guanzhong dairy goats (n = 24) were randomly divided into two groups (each containing 12 goats) in a 52-day trial: the CON group was fed a basal diet; the MCE group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 400 mg/kg MCE. The results indicated that the 4% fat corrected milk yield (4% FCM); uncorrected milk yield; milk-fat concentration; content of C4:0, C18:0, and C18:1n9c fatty acids in milk; and apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in the MCE group were significantly higher (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the lactoferrin (LTF), alpha-lactalbumin (α-La), and beta-lactoglobulin (β-Lg) of the milk and feed conversion rate (FCR) of the goats were significantly greater (p < 0.01) in the MCE group than in the CON group. In contrast, the somatic cell count (SCC) (p < 0.01), content of C14:0 fatty acids (p < 0.01) of milk, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations (p < 0.05) were significantly lower in the in the MCE goats. These results show that the feeding of MCE can increase the performance and apparent nutrient digestibility of fiber in dairy goats, improving the quality of goat milk.

El impacto productivo de los nematodos gastrointestinales (NGI) sobre los de pequeños rumiantes es conocido a nivel mundial. Las infestaciones por NGI constituyen una limitante de alto impacto en la producción de rumiantes y las perdidas comprendidas por este problema sanitario varían desde reducciones subclínicas en la ganancia de peso hasta la muerte de animales con altas cargas parasitarias. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar los resultados de un test de eficacia a campo utilizando una combinación comercial de Abamectina + Derquantel y del Moxidectin en cabras lecheras naturalmente infestadas con NGI en el Valle de Lerma, provincia de Salta. El ensayo se llevó a cabo en la Unidad Tambo Caprino de la Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Salta del INTA. Para la evaluación de eficacia de la droga en estudio, se realizó el test de reducción de conteos de huevos. En los coprocultivos pre-tratamientos se pudo observar una gran prevalencia de Trichostrongylus spp. (71%). seguido de Teladorsagia spp. (21%) y Haemonchus spp. (8%). En cuanto a los resultados del TRCH, en el GDQ se observaron valores del 100% de PRCH, mientras que en el GMX se observó un PRCH de 95,5 %, donde la eficacia para Haemonchus spp. y Teladorsagia spp. fue del 100% y para Trichostrongylus spp. del 81,1%.Los resultados observados en este trabajo permiten concluir que en las condiciones de campo en donde fue llevado a cabo el TRCH, la combinación Derquantel-Abamectina posee una alta eficacia contra los géneros presentes. Efficacy of combining Abamectin-Derquantel and Moxidectin in dairy goats naturally infected by gastrointstinal nematodes in Valle de Lerma, Argentina. The productive impact of gastrointestinal nematodes (NGI) of small ruminants are known worldwide. Infestations by NGI constitute a limiting factor in the production of ruminant and the losses included by this sanitary problem vary from subclinical reductions in weight gain to the death of animals with high parasite loads. The objective of this work is to present the results of an efficacy trial using a commercial combination of Abamectin + Derquantel and Moxidectin in dairy goats naturally infested with NGI in the Lerma Valley, Salta province. The test was carried out in the Dairy Goat Unit of the Salta Agricultural Experiment Station of INTA. In the pretreatment stool cultures, a high prevalence of Trichostrongylus spp. (71%). followed by Teladorsagia spp. (21%) and Haemonchus spp. (8%) was observed. Regarding the results of the TRCH, in the GDQ values of 100% of PRCH were observed, while in the GMX a PRCH of 95.5% is shown, where the efficacy for Haemonchus spp. and Teladorsagia spp. was 100% and for Trichostrongylus spp. 81.1%. The results observed in this work allow us to conclude that under the field conditions where TRCH was carried out, the Derquantel-Abamectin combination has high efficacy against the genera present. Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido Fil: Olmos, Leandro Hipolito. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido. Área de Investigación en Salud Animal; Argentina Fil: Olmos, Leandro Hipolito. Universidad Católica de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias; Argentina Fil: Martinez, Gabriela Marcela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Salta; Argentina Fil: Alfaro, Rodolfo Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Salta; Argentina Fil: Diaz, Juan P. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina Fil: Suarez, Victor Humberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido. Área de Investigación en Salud Animal; Argentina

One Saanen dairy goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) farm in Korea reported that some goats showed clinical signs such as arthritis, paralysis, carpal joint swelling, and even death. We monitored clinical signs and pathological lesions. In the laboratory, we confirmed caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We examined all the dairy goats on the farm and found that many of them were positive. In conclusion, CAEV infection was detected in the majority of the goats in this farm, and it induced severe clinical signs impacting productivity and causing important economic shortfalls. We need to regularly investigate all dairy goat farms, and, more importantly, inspection of the quarantine stage should be required before importation. Interestingly, we found all negative results in Korean native black goats (Capra hircus linnaeus).

The present study was conducted regarding four acute-phase proteins (APPs) including C-reactive protein (CRP), ceruloplasmin (CP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and haptoglobin (HP) in dairy goats during the periparturient period. The aim of this study was to detect the changes in APPs in plasma during the periparturient period of healthy dairy goats. Guanzhong dairy goats with no other symptoms (n = 15) were selected on the basis of their blood calcium (Ca) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentration. The plasma was collected once a week for ±3 weeks delivery. The concentrations of the four APPs mentioned above were determined using goat-specific ELISA kits. The results showed the CRP level in plasma decreased from 3 weeks to 1 week antepartum and increased later until 1 week postpartum and then decreased to a similar level with antepartum between 1 and 3 weeks postpartum. The content of CP showed a decline in 3 weeks before parturition and an upward trend between 1 week antepartum and 3 weeks postpartum. The SAA concentration decreased from 3 weeks antepartum to 2 weeks postpartum and rebounded later. The level of HP decreased during 3 weeks before parturition and increased until 1 week postpartum, then reached a stable value. Clear variation range and rules of APPs contribute to perinatal health monitoring of dairy goats.

Sixty dairy goats of the Polish white improved breed were randomly assigned to five feeding groups of twelve animals each. The animals received a supplement containing seven herbs at 20 or 40 g/animal/day (experimental groups 1 and 2) and a supplement containing nine herbs at 20 or 40 g/animal/day (experimental groups 3 and 4)m, along with pelleted concentrate feed. Group 5 (the control group) received pelleted feed without any herbal supplements. A significant effect of herbal feed additive on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count was observed (p < 0.001). The highest number density of LAB was found in the goats receiving the feed additive with nine herbs at 20 g/animal per day (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant effect of lactation stage on intestinal LAB count (p < 0.001). Regardless of the feeding group, the highest number density of LAB was found in animals at the peak of lactation. The LAB count was also affected by the interaction of diet group × lactation stage (p < 0.0001). A probiotic strain of Lactobacillus fermentum was identified in the faecal samples of goats receiving the herbal additive, but not in the controls. Genetic identification of the microorganisms isolated from the faeces of the experimental goats did not reveal the presence of harmful mould spores, although spores of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus were detected in the controls.

To start milk production, dairy goats need to give birth at least once. While most female kids are reared to become the next generation of dairy goats, only a small proportion of male kids (buck kids) are reared with reproduction aims. The market for buck kid meat, especially within Northern European countries, is currently relatively small compared to the number of bucks born. Therefore, the purposes for buck kids are limited and a substantial proportion of buck kid meat is used for pet food. Due to the limited economic value of buck kids, farmers are faced with a dilemma. Although raising bucks costs more money than it yields, the birth of kids is a prerequisite for production of milk and should be seen as an investment for business-wise healthy dairy goat farming. In that perspective, dairy goat farmers have an ethical responsibility toward buck kids, as well. In this paper, we compare various scenarios of dealing with the issue of surplus male animals. We provide recommendations for the rearing of buck kids based on the sector‘s experience and current practice in the Netherlands. Reducing the number of surplus (male) offspring, e.g., by an optimized prolonged lactation management and/or by artificial insemination with sex-sorted semen, could alleviate the issue of low value buck kids. Killing surplus animals before or directly after birth, on the other hand, is met with increasing societal scrutiny. Initiatives to propagate a market for buck kid meat for human consumption are important to enable a suitable and sustainable production system. To maintain the health and welfare of goat kids, amongst other factors, sufficient and good quality colostrum, milk, and an appropriate diet as they grow older, needs to be provided. One option to assure the safeguarding of health and welfare of all goat kids are quality assurance schemes for milk production. These schemes make dairy farmers accountable for the health and welfare of all kids in the rearing period, including the provision of colostrum and adequate care for newborn buck kids. We conclude that the combination of reducing the number of surplus kids, increasing the demand for goat products, and quality assurance schemes that may help to safeguard the welfare of buck kids.

Namen diplomskega dela je bil predstaviti in analizirati proizvodne sisteme pri reji mlečnih pasem koz na različnih območjih. Število koz se povečuje in trenutno jih je na svetu že čez eno milijardo. Največ koz za prirejo mleka je v Aziji, kjer tudi popijejo največ kozjega mleka. Najbolj tržno naravnana pa je prireja kozjega mleka v Evropi. Proizvodni sistemi v kozjereji so zelo raznoliki. Tradicionalno pašništvo je še vedno eden izmed najpogostejših načinov reje koz. V državah v razvoju je kozjereja zelo pomembna za gospodinjstva s srednjimi in majhnimi dohodki. Proizvodni sistemi v teh državah so prilagojeni na zahtevne razmere z vidika okolja in ekonomike. V Aziji, Latinski Ameriki in Afriki prevladuje pašna reja zaradi obširnih kmetijskih površin. V Evropi prevladuje reja mlečnih pasem koz v Sredozemlju, saj je pomembna iz okoljskega, ekonomskega in socialnega vidika. Kozjereja je imela veliko vlogo že v času Rimljanov, ki so prvi začeli razvijati navedeno kmetijsko dejavnost. Vodilne države v prireji kozjega mleka v Evropi so Španija, Francija, Grčija in Italija. V Evropi je le 5,1 % svetovne populacije mlečnih koz, priredijo pa kar 15,6 % vsega kozjega mleka na svetu. Kozjereja je razvita tudi na Novi Zelandiji, kjer se je komercialna prireja kozjega mleka začela v 70-tih letih prejšnjega stoletja. The aim of B. Sc. Thesis was to present and analyse dairy goat production systems in different areas. The number of goats in the world is increasing and currently there are over one billion goats in the world. The largest population of dairy goats is in Asia, where goat milk consumption is also the highest. Goat milk production in Europe is the most market-oriented. Dairy goat production systems are very diverse. Traditional pastoralism is still one of the most common forms of goat rearing. In developing countries, goat rearing is very important for the middle and low-income households. Production systems in these countries are adapted to the demanding environmental and economic conditions. In Asia, Latin America and Africa, grazing predominates due to the extensive agriculture land. In Europe, goat milk production is predominant in the Mediterranean region because it is important from an environmental, economic and social point of view. Goat production played an important role in the time of the Roman Empire, when the Romans were the first to develop goat farming. The leading countries in goat milk production in Europe are Spain, France, Greece and Italy. Europe accounts for only 5.1% of the world's goat population, while producing 15.6% of all goat milk yields in the world. Goat production is also developed in New Zealand, where it started in the 1970s.

Transcriptomics is an established powerful tool to identify potential mRNAs and ncRNAs (non‐coding RNAs) for endometrial receptivity. In this study, the goat endometrium at estrus day 5 (ED5) and estrus day 15 (ED15) were selected to systematically analyse the differential expressed genes (DEGs) what were induced by the embryo. There were 1,847 genes which were significantly differential expressed in endometrium induced by the embryo at ED5, and 1,346 at ED15 (p‐value, In this study, the goat endometrium at estrus day 5 and estrus day 15 were selected to systematically analyse the DEGs induced by the embryo in the endometrium of dairy goats, and there were 1,847 genes that were differential expressed at ED5, and 1,346 at ED15. In a word, this resulting view of the transcriptome greatly uncovered the global trends in mRNAs expression induced by the embryo in the endometrium of dairy goats.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate mastitis in dairy goat farms through the California mastitis test (CMT) and bacteriological examinations. Materials and Methods: A total of 845 goats belonging to 18 farms from four regions (Tébessa, Guelma, Souk Ahras, and Skikda) were examined. Results: Clinical examination of the mammary glands showed that 30/845 (3.55%) goats had clinical mastitis and 32 goats had half-teat inflammation. CMT subclinical mastitis (SCM) was detected in 815 goats that were presumed to be healthy. CMT showed 46 (5.64%) CMT-positive goats as well as 47 (2.88%) positive half-udders with a score of ≥2. A total of 79 bacteria were isolated and identified from the 79 bacterial positive samples. Bacteriological analyses showed that Gram-positive staphylococci were largely responsible for clinical and SCM. Coagulase-negative staphylococci, with an isolation frequency of 56.96%, were the most prevalent bacteria from all isolated organisms. The second most prevalent organism was Staphylococcus aureus at 40.50% and streptococci (2.53%) had the smallest percentage of isolation. Conclusion: It is suggested that due to the prevalence of mastitis in this species, farmers should be aware of the problem to plan preventive and control measures to reduce dairy goat losses due to this disease.

Research Areas: Veterinary Sciences Article in International Journals ABSTRACT - The objective of this study was to identify the prognostic value for survival of blood parameters in the immediate post-caesarean surgery period in kids born from pregnancy toxaemia (PT) goats. This study involved 10 PT goats, in which a caesarean surgery was performed. Twenty-five kids were born after caesarean surgery of which 16 survived. A blood sample was collected from the jugular vein of the 10 goats and from the kids immediately after caesarean surgery (within 15 min). There were differences between the kids that survived and the kids that did not survive concerning the blood levels of pH (7.22 vs 7.00), base excess (- 9 vs - 18 mmol/L), pCO(2) (46 vs 62 mmHg) and L-lactate (5.6 vs 16 mmol/L). Maternal ketoacidosis due to PT has a negative impact on the survival rate of the offspring. This appears to be associated to a metabolic acidosis of the offspring. However, the only blood parameter in which there was a strong association between the maternal and newborn kids was blood urea nitrogen (r = 0.97). Barao & Barao and Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria -Universidade de Lisboa info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This paper presents a review of dairy goat production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 2010- 2017, its current state, constraints and prospects for research and development. Since the introduction of dairy goats in SSA in pre-colonial times, their populations have continued to increase due to declining land size as a result of land fragmentation and increasing demand for goat milk. The current goat population in SSA is 372,716,040 head of which only 15.98% used for milk production. Populations in the Eastern and Western regions of SSA have shown an increasing trend from 2010 to 2017. The Southern Africa goat population is on the decline at an annual rate of about 1.77% whereas Central Africa has had a constant goat population within the same period. Eastern Africa reported the highest increase in the population of goats used for milk production. Milk production was highest in Eastern Africa and lowest in Southern Africa. However, dairy goat productivity remained constant in the Eastern region throughout the review period. Dairy goats are mainly raised under smallholder mixed crop-livestock systems. To enhance the development of the dairy goat, concerted efforts should be made to alleviate the constraints that stifle its growth. These constraints can be categorized into nutrition and feeding, breeding and reproduction, diseases, parasites, climate change, and underdeveloped dairy goat products market. Effective management of dairy goats requires a holistic approach and there is the need to expand the markets by further sensitization on the nutritional and medicinal advantages of dairy goat products. In order to achieve rapid development in the dairy goat sub sector, research and development initiatives should be directed towards alleviating the hurdles in nutrition and feeding, breeding, animal health and resilience as well as dairy goat markets.

Dairy goat production continues to be a socially, economically and culturally important part of the livestock industry in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean islands. Goat milk, cheese and other dairy products offer consumers food products with nutritional, health and environmental benefits. In North America, Mexico produces the greatest volume of goat milk, but most is for family or local consumption that is typical of a mixed farming system adopted by subsistence farmers in dry areas. The United States is not yet a large global goat milk producer, but the sector has expanded rapidly, with dairy goat numbers doubling between 1997 and 2012. The number of dairy goats has also increased dramatically in Canada. Commercial farms are increasingly important, driven by rising demand for good quality and locally sourced goat cheese. In South America, Brazil has the most developed dairy goat industry that includes government assistance to small-scale producers and low-income households. As of 2017, FAO identified Haiti, Peru, Jamaica, and Bolivia as having important goat milk production in the Western Hemisphere. For subsistence goat producers in the Americas on marginal land without prior history of chemical usage, organic dairy goat production can be a viable alternative for income generation, with sufficient transportation, sanitation and marketing initiatives. Production efficiency, greenhouse gas emission, waste disposal, and animal welfare are important challenges for dairy goat producers in the Americas.

The global goat population continues to grow and is now over one billion. The number of goats raised primarily for milk production is also growing, due to expanding demand. Most of the world dairy goat production and consumption is in Asia, but a global view of the dairy goat sector reveals important lessons about building successful modern dairy goat industries. The most organized market for goat milk is found in Europe, especially in France. The European goat sector is specialized for milk production, mostly for industrial cheesemaking, while also supporting traditional on-farm manufacturing. Government involvement is significant in sanitary regulation, research, extension, support for local producer organizations, and markets, and ensures safety and quality. Nonetheless, producers are still vulnerable to market fluctuations. New dairy goat industries are developing in countries without a long goat milk tradition, such as China, the United States, and New Zealand, due to rising consumer demand, strong prices, and climate change. The mix of policies, management and markets varies widely, but regardless of the country, the dairy goat sector thrives when producers have access to markets, and the tools and skills to sustainably manage their livestock and natural resources. These are most readily achieved through strong and inclusive producer organizations, access to technical services, and policies that enable the poor and marginalized groups to benefit from increasing demand.

Recent development of novel techniques in systems biology have been used to improve and manipulate the rumen microbial ecosystem and gain a deeper understanding of its physiological and microbiological interactions and relationships. This provided a deeper insight and understanding of the relationship and interactions between the rumen microbiome and the host animal. New high-throughput techniques have revealed that the dominance of Proteobacteria in the neonatal gut might be derived from the maternal placenta through fetal swallowing of amniotic fluid in utero, which gradually decreases in the reticulum, omasum, and abomasum with increasing age after birth. Multi "omics" technologies have also enhanced rumen fermentation and production efficiency of dairy goats using dietary interventions through greater knowledge of the links between nutrition, metabolism, and the rumen microbiome and their effect in the environment. For example, supplementation of dietary lipid, such as linseed, affects rumen fermentation by favoring the accumulation of α-linolenic acid biohydrogenation with a high correlation to the relative abundance of Fibrobacteriaceae. This provides greater resolution of the interlinkages among nutritional strategies, rumen microbes, and metabolism of the host animal that can set the foundation for new advancements in ruminant nutrition using multi 'omics' technologies.

Goats (Capra hircus) were domesticated during the late Neolithic, approximately 10,500 years ago, and humans exerted minor selection pressure until fairly recently. Probably the largest genetic change occurring over the millennia happened via natural selection and random genetic drift, the latter causing genes to be fixed in small and isolated populations. Recent human-influenced genetic changes have occurred through biometrics and genomics. For the most part, biometrics has concentrated upon the refining of estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations. Heritabilities are instrumental in the calculation of estimated breeding values and genetic correlations are necessary in the construction of selection indices that account for changes in multiple traits under selection at one time. Early genomic studies focused upon microsatellite markers, which are short tandem repeats of nucleic acids and which are detected using polymerase chain reaction primers flanking the microsatellite. Microsatellite markers have been very important in parentage verification, which can impact genetic progress. Additionally, microsatellite markers have been a useful tool in assessing genetic diversity between and among breeds, which is important in the conservation of minor breeds. Single nucleotide polymorphisms are a new genomic tool that have refined classical BLUP methodology (biometric) to provide more accurate genomic estimated breeding values, provided a large reference population is available.

There have been recent advances concerning research of the feeding and nutrition of dairy goats in a wide array of areas. Ruminally emitted methane and supplementary feedstuffs to a lesser extent make appreciable contributions to the carbon footprint of dairy goats, with the former affected by type of production system and associated dietary characteristics. Unique behavior of goats necessitates careful consideration of the nature of confinement facilities to achieve optimal production by animals differing in social hierarchy. Physiological conditions such as nutritional needs and perhaps health status may influence diet selection by goats in both grazing and confinement settings. Some research suggests that low concentrations of protein and fat in milk of high-yielding dairy goat breeds could involve the type and nature of dietary ingredients as influencing end products of ruminal fermentation. With the relationship between milk urea nitrogen concentration and efficiency of dietary protein utilization, through future research the measure may be a useful tool for diet formulation as in dairy cattle. Effects of dietary inclusion of sources of fats and oils vary considerably depending on their nature, as is also true for byproduct feedstuffs and conventional ones being substituted for. Supplementation of dairy goats with sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids can affect oxidative stress and various feedstuffs influence antioxidant status; however, research addressing the significance of such changes under practical production settings would be beneficial.

Limited sample sizes imply parametric assumptions could be violated, even if traits have been reported to fulfil parametric assumptions. Parametric studies have addressed a non-significant influence of CSN1S1 genes on Murciano-Granadina milk yield, fat, protein and dry extract. We used non-parametric categorical tests to find alternative statistical methods to analyse the power to explain the variability found in the population regarding milk yield and its components. We analysed 2090 records for milk yield, and its components from 710 Murciano-Granadina CSN1S1-genotyped goats. Categorical regression equations were issued to predict which and at what level these factors may determine milk yield (kg), fat (kg), protein (kg) and dry extract (kg). All environmental (farm and parturition year) and animal-inherent factors (genotype, birth type and age) resulted statistically significant (p

Dairy goats can mobilize considerable body fat for support of milk production, but this can necessitate a high nutritional plane later for replenishment. Tissue mobilization during gestation should be controlled so as not to impair lactational performance. Dairy goats can markedly vary feeding behaviour in response to factors such as restricted periods of access; however, further studies are needed to address the efficiency of production. With some tolerance of goats to plant secondary metabolites and voluntary consumption of a wide array of materials, regionally available byproducts and other nonconventional feedstuffs can be used to minimize production costs. Dairy goats are resilient to moderately harsh environmental conditions, but more extreme ones should be addressed with anticipated future climate change. Some differences in the effects of dietary inclusion of fats and oils between dairy goats and cattle may relate to ruminal microbial conditions as well as the susceptibility of mammary gland enzymes to bioactive conjugated linoleic acid isomers. Much research is being conducted to improve the fatty acid composition of fat in goat milk in regard to effects on human health through the use of fats and oils as well as plant secondary metabolites, and effects on antioxidant status are increasingly being considered as well.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:24:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-05-01 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) The objective of this study was to identify on-farm risk factors associated with microbiological traits and somatic cell counts of goat bulk milk. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 160 goat dairy herds. Bulk tank milk samples were collected aseptically for qualitative (Salmonella enterica) and quantitative (aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus spp. and Staphylococcus aureus) microbiological analyses. Additionally, information on various herd characteristics, general management practices, and milking procedures was collected by means of a questionnaire. A model for risk factors associated with the investigated traits was built by means of logistic regression after selection of putative variables by univariable analysis. Absence of pre-dipping, non-discharge of foremilk before milking and confirmed mastitis cases in the herds were identified as major risk factors for high aerobic plate counts. Low milk yield (< 25 kg / milk / day) was identified as a major risk factor for high somatic cell counts (SCC) in goat milk. Other variables such as long-term establishment of the herds (>7 years), the use of ponds as water source, long lactation periods (> 210 days), practice of milking in late pregnancy and non-discharge of foremilk before milking were also identified as risk factors for high SCC. The information generated by this study can support intervention measures targeting the improvement of goat milk quality, which is of paramount importance for the continuous development of the goat dairy industry. Departmento de Zootecnia Centro de Ciências Agrárias Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB) Departamento de Patologia Veterinária Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural/Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG) Departamento de Nutrição Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB) Departamento de Ciências Fundamentais e Sociais Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB) Global One Health Initiative (GOHi) The Ohio State University (OSU) Departamento de Patologia Veterinária Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) CAPES: 001

With the spread of anthelmintic resistance (AR), endoparasite monitoring consolidates its role for a more sustainable targeting of treatments. A survey on endoparasites in dairy goat farms of north-eastern Italy was conducted to test a monitoring approach based on a farm-tailored sample size. Farm management and parasites control practices were investigated in 20 farms through a questionnaire survey. Further, fecal samples were collected (November 2018–September 2019) from 264 animals from 13 farms and were analyzed individually with a modified McMaster method and subsequently pooled to perform a coproculture. Coccidia (78.4%), gastrointestinal strongyles (37.9%), Strongyloides (28.4%), Skrjabinema (18.9%), Trichuris (8.0%) and Nematodirus/Marshallagia (0.4%) were identified. Abundances were higher for coccidia and gastrointestinal strongyles. Haemonchus (71%) was the dominant gastrointestinal nematode. Pasture and age class resulted in the main risk factors at the multivariable analysis through a negative binomial regression model. Results from farm monitoring indicate that our approach can be a cost-effective decision tool to target treatments more effectively, but farmers need to be educated about the importance of parasitological testing, which is currently scarcely implemented, against the risk of AR.

Long-term supplementation of a high-concentrate diet enhances the accumulation of lactate and decrease in pH in goat rumen, thereby disrupting the composition of microbial community. Studies have shown that incorporation of thiamine in high-concentrate diet increases ruminal pH and decreases rumen lactate concentration. To explore the effects of thiamine supplementation with a high-concentrate diet on alteration of the whole ruminal microbiota and their metabolites, 18 mid-lactating Saanen goats were randomly fed with one of three diets: (1) control diet (CON; n = 6; concentrate:forage 30:70), (2) high-concentrate diet (HG; n = 6; concentrate:forage 70:30), and (3) high-concentrate diet with 200 mg of thiamine/kg of DMI (HGT; n = 6; concentrate:forage 70:30). The goats received experimental diets for 8 weeks. Ruminal samples were collected on the last day of the 8 weeks for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer (LC-MS) analysis. The results revealed significant alterations of the ruminal bacterial community structure and diversity in HGT groups compared to HG groups, with an overall dominance of Bacteroidetes at the phylum level and Oribacterium (P < 0.05), Anaerobiospirillum (P < 0.01), and Fibrobacter (P < 0.01) at genus level in the HGT group. The LC-MS analysis revealed that thiamine supplementation resulted in lower levels of propionate (P < 0.05), pyruvate (P < 0.01), lactate (P < 0.05), putrescine (P < 0.05), tyramine (P < 0.05), and histamine (P < 0.01) and higher levels of acetate (P < 0.05), succinates (P < 0.01), oxaloacetic acid (P < 0.01), leucine (P < 0.01), valine (P < 0.05), linoleic acid (P < 0.05), docosahexaenoic acid (P < 0.05), and 4-phenylbutyric acid (P < 0.05) in the HGT group than in the HG group. The decrease in these compounds enhanced homeostasis in the rumen environment and suppressed epithelial inflammation. Correlation analysis revealed the potential relationships between ruminal metabolites and microbial community. These findings demonstrate that thiamine supplementation can alleviate subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) by stabilizing the microbial community and reducing toxic unnatural compounds.

[CA] El treball de fi de grau que es presenta s’estudia el disseny i la implantació d’una granja de 1500 cabres lleteres de la raça Murciano-Granadina a una parcel·la del terme municipal de Foios (València. A la parcel·la on es vol instal·lar l’explotació hi ha una antiga granja de porcs abandonada la qual es desitja rehabilitar per a la seua utilització com a granja de cabres. L’objectiu d’aquest treball és conèixer els resultats econòmics que esperables a una explotació intensiva en clima mediterrani, respectant en tot moment el benestar i la salut animal. Per a poder arribar a aquest objectiu a l’explotació, es realitza un estudi dels aliments disponibles a la zona per a l’alimentació del bestiar i es calcula la ració diària que necessiten els animals en els distints estats fisiològics. A més, es planteja l’organització de l’explotació, el maneig i la planificació del ramat. Per últim, s’analitzen els resultats econòmics de l’explotació., [EN] The end-of-grade work presented is the design and implementation of a farm of 1500 dairy goats of the Murciano-Granadina breed on a plot of the municipality of Foios (Valencia). In the plot where you want to install the farm there is an old abandoned pig farm which you want to rehabilitate for use as a goat farm. The objective of this work is to know the expected economic results in a intensive exploitation in the Mediterranean climate, respecting animal welfare and health at all times. In order to achieve this objective on the farm, a study of the food available in the area for livestock feeding is carried out and the daily ration needed by animals in the different physiological states is calculated. In addition, it is proposed the organization of the exploitation, management and planning of the herd. Finally, the economic results of the operation are analyzed., [ES] El trabajo de final de grado que se presenta se estudia el diseño y la implantación de una granja de 1500 cabras lecheras de la raza Murciano-Granadina en una parcela del término municipal de Foios (València). En la parcela donde se quiere instalar la explotación hay una antigua granja de cerdos abandonada la cual se desea rehabilitar para su utilización como granja de cabras. El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer los resultados económicos esperables en una explotación intensiva en clima mediterráneo, respetando en todo momento el bienestar y la salud animal. Para poder llegar a este objetivo en la explotación, se realiza un estudio de los alimentos disponibles en la zona para la alimentación del ganado y se calcula la ración diaria que necesitan los animales en los distintos estados fisiológicos. Además, se plantea la organización de la explotación, el manejo y la planificación del rebaño. Por último, se analizan los resultados económicos de la explotación.

International audience; The emergence of precision livestock farming (PLF), and with it the increasing capacity to record behaviour and production parameters automatically, makes it possible to monitor feeding behaviour of individual animals over time. This study reports some of the first quantifications of feeding behaviour variables for individual dairy goats whilst group housed. The feeding behaviour of 16 non-lactating goats (NoLact), 32 goats in the middle of their first lactation (MidLact) and 24 goats (including 20 goats from MidLact) at the end of their first lactation (EndLact) from two breeds (Alpine and Saanen) was recorded. The goats were housed in groups of four individuals and each had access to one weight-monitored feeding station where they received a total mixed ration ad libitum twice a day. Following a habituation period, feeding behaviour was measured for nine days (NoLact), 10 days (MidLact) and six days (EndLact). After merging feeder visits into meals (≥8-min inter-meal-interval), six variables were calculated for each individual: meal frequency (number of daily meals, NDM), size (feed intake per meal, FIM) and duration (DUM), as well as feeding rate (FR), daily feeding time (DFT) and daily feed intake (DFI). The inter- and intra-individual variabilities of these six variables were investigated and the intra-class correlation coefficients calculated. Particular attention was paid to the first meal following feed distribution and to the stability of individual feeding behaviour between lactation stages. Effects of body weight, breed, and stage of lactation on the six feeding behaviour variables were analysed using a general linear model. Our study confirmed previous findings from individually housed dairy goats that feeding behaviour variables are relatively stable within an individual but show greater variability between individuals. Although there were differences between the lactation stages studied, the feeding behaviour of individuals tested in two lactation stages (mid- and end of lactation) remained relatively stable. The feeding behaviour variables were normally distributed, and smaller meals were linked with a higher meal frequency and vice versa. The first meal after a feed distribution, in addition to being positively correlated with the DFI, appeared to be stable in size for individual goats with a larger variability among individuals and could potentially be used to characterize the individuals, whereas time-related feeding behaviour variables appeared less useful for this purpose. Characterization of individuals based on their feeding behaviour can potentially be used to refine individual management for disease prevention or as a trait used in genetic selection.

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine, 51, 2, 247

Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB Heat stress (HS) negatively affects animal performance, but little is known about energetic metabolism and behavior changes in dairy goats under HS conditions. Eight multiparous Murciano-Granadina dairy goats (43.3 ± 1.6 kg BW; 2 ± 0.04 L milk/d; 81 ± 3 days of lactation) were kept in metabolism cages and randomly assigned to two treatments varying in the temperature humidity index (THI). The design was crossover (two 28-d periods) and treatments were: 1) thermal neutral (TN; 15-20C, 40-45% humidity, THI = 59-65), and 2) heat stress (HS 12 h/d at 37◦C and 40%, and 12 h/d at 30◦C and 40%, THI = 86 and 77, respectively). Jugular silicon catheters were fitted, and glucose tolerance test (0.25 g/kg BW), insulin tolerance test (4.6 μg/kg BW) and epinephrine challenge (2 μg/kg BW) were conducted. Before and after each metabolite administration, blood samples were collected for the analysis of insulin, glucose, and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA). Also, behavior variables (position changes, duration of remaining standing, as well as eating and drinking bouts and duration) were observed at day 3 of each period by video cameras. Heat stress reduced (P < 0.01) feed intake (< 29%), milk yield (< 10%), milk fat (-12%), milk protein (-14%), and milk casein (-13%). Goats in both groups had similar blood NEFA after insulin administration, but NEFA values were greater (P < 0.05) in TN than HS goats after epinephrine infusion. The HS goats secreted lower (P < 0.05) amounts of insulin than TN goats in response to the glucose tolerance test. Additionally, TN and HS goats had similar number of eating bouts, but the duration of each bout was shorter in HS than in TN. Also, HS had greater number of drinking bouts with no differences in drinking bout durations between groups. In conclusion, body lipid tissue of HS goats became more resistant to lipolysis, making them unable to mobilize body fat reserves despite the negative energy balance. In addition, the reduction in feed intake by HS was because of the shorter time of eating bouts, whereas the greater water consumption was related to the increase in drinking bouts.

Due to the high content of crude protein and high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids, pumpkin seed cake (PSC) could be a good quality feedstuff for ruminants, while extruded linseed (ELS) has already shown some beneficial effect on fatty acids proportion of goat milk. Besides, lactation is the most demanding period when monitoring the metabolic condition of animal. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of PSC and ELS replacing soybean meal in diets of dairy goats on blood haemato-chemical parameters and milk quality. A 28 lactating French Alpine dairy goats were monitored within 20 days in early lactation. Diet of each groups had a balanced content of energy and crude protein, and a slight difference in lipid content. Goats in control group (n = 9) received soybean meal and extruded soybean. In experimental groups soybean was partially replaced with ELS (n = 10) or completely with PSC (n = 9). Dietary treatments had no effect on haemato-chemical parameters, although PSC increased concentration of globulins in serum. PSC lowered linoleic acid compared to control. ELS increased proportion of α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and total n-3 fatty acids in milk. Positive correlations were found between non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and ratio C18:1/C15:0, NEFA and ratio C17:0/C15:0, as well as β- hydroxybutyrate and ratio C17:0/C15:0. The replacement of soybean meal with PSC or partially with ELS is feasible with respect to haemato- chemical parameters of early lactating dairy goats, while ELS had much beneficial effect on fatty acids compared to PSC.

Due to the high content of crude protein and high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids, pumpkin seed cake (PSC) could be a good quality feedstuff for ruminants, while extruded linseed (ELS) has already shown some beneficial effect on fatty acids proportion of goat milk. Besides, lactation is the most demanding period when monitoring the metabolic condition of animal. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of PSC and ELS replacing soybean meal in diets of dairy goats on blood haemato-chemical parameters and milk quality. A 28 lactating French Alpine dairy goats were monitored within 20 days in early lactation. Diet of each groups had a balanced content of energy and crude protein, and a slight difference in lipid content. Goats in control group (n = 9) received soybean meal and extruded soybean. In experimental groups soybean was partially replaced with ELS (n = 10) or completely with PSC (n = 9). Dietary treatments had no effect on haemato-chemical parameters, although PSC increased concentration of globulins in serum. PSC lowered linoleic acid compared to control. ELS increased proportion of α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and total n-3 fatty acids in milk. Positive correlations were found between non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and ratio C18:1/C15:0, NEFA and ratio C17:0/C15:0, as well as β-hydroxybutyrate and ratio C17:0/C15:0. The replacement of soybean meal with PSC or partially with ELS is feasible with respect to haemato-chemical parameters of early lactating dairy goats, while ELS had much beneficial effect on fatty acids compared to PSC., Zbog visokog sadržaja sirovih bjelančevina i visoke koncentracije nezasićenih masnih kiselina, pogača sjemenki bundeve (PSC) potencijalno je kvalitetno krmivo za preživače, dok je ekstrudirani lan (ELS) u obrocima koza već pokazao blagotvoran utjecaj na kvalitetu kozjeg mlijeka. Laktacija je vrlo zahtjevno razdoblje za praćenje metaboličkog statusa životinja. Prema tome, cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je utvrditi utjecaj PSC i ELS na hematološko-biokemijske pokazatelje u krvi i na kvalitetu mlijeka, kao zamjena za soju u obrocima mliječnih koza. Istraživanje je provedeno s 28 koza pasmine francuska alpine koje su bile podijeljene u dvije pokusne skupine tijekom 20 dana u ranoj laktaciji. Obroci su bili izbalansirani u pogledu energije i sadržaja sirovih bjelančevina, uz neznatne razlike sadržaja lipida. Obroci kontrolne skupine (n = 9) sadržavali su sačmu i ekstrudiranu soju. U obrocima pokusnih skupina soja je djelomično zamijenjena s ELS (n = 10) ili u potpunosti zamijenjena s PSC (n = 9). Hematološko-biokemijski pokazatelji u krvi koza nisu rezultirali značajnijim promjenama pod utjecajem hranidbe, iako je obrok s PSC povećao koncentraciju globulina u serumu. PSC je rezultirao smanjenjem linolne kiseline (n-6) u odnosu na kontrolnu skupinu. ELS obroci povećali su koncentraciju α-linolenske, eikozapentaenske kiseline i koncentraciju ukupnih n-3 masnih kiselina u mlijeku. Utvrđene su pozitivne korelacije između ne-esterificiranih masnih kiselina (NEFA) i C18:1/C15:0, NEFA te C17:0/C15:0, kao i β-hidroksibutirata te C17:0/C15:0. Potpuna zamjena sačme i ekstrudirane soje s PSC ili djelomično s ELS opravdana je s obzirom na hematološko-biokemijske pokazatelje koza u ranoj laktaciji, dok je ELS imao blagotvoran utjecaj na masne kiseline u mlijeku u odnosu na PSC.