Influence of lactation order and live weight on milk yield and fertility traits in domestic Balkan goat

• Published in: Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry (Serbia) Vol. 26; no. 3-4; pp. 179 - 185
• Main Authors: Memisi, N., Zujovic, M., Tomic, Z., Petrovic, M.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: BODY WEIGHT; CAPRIN; CAPRINOS; FERTILIDAD; FERTILITE; FERTILITY; GOATS; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_15846; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_15998; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2862; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_3324; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_4140; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_4177; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_49909; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6510; LACTACION; LACTATION; LAND RACES; MILK YIELD; PERFORMANCE DE REPRODUCTION; PESO CORPORAL; POIDS CORPOREL; RACE INDIGENE; RAZAS INDIGENAS; RENDEMENT LAITIER; RENDIMIENTO LECHERO; REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE; REPRODUCTIVIDAD; SERBIA; SERBIE
• ISSN: 1450-9156; 2217-7140
• DOI: 10.2298/BAH1004179M

The goal of this investigation in the domestic Balkan goat was to establish the effect of body weight and lactation number on milk and fertility. Research was done in the herds belonging to private farmers, during a one-year period, on a total of 578 goats. Investigated herds were monitored also by lactation number, i.e. kidding number (lactation 1, 2 and 3 individually, lactation 4 and following lactations investigated togheter). Body weight and milk yield were measured, while fertility was determined as the number of live born kids per 100 goats. Goat were also sorted into groups by age and body weight, while the interval within groups and between groups was 5 kg. Average total milk yield in the investigated population of the domestic Balkan goat was 177.5 kg. A statistically significant difference (P is less than 0.01) was established for milk yield depending on body weight and age, except for goats in lactation 1 (P is less than 0.05). In lactation 3 and 4, goats with body weights over 45 kg, comprising 30.23% of the total number in these groups, had the highest milk yields (over 200 kg). Pertaining to lactation number, i.e. kidding number, as well as body weight in both years of investigation, lowest fertility was found in lactations 1 and 2 (112%), and in goats with lowest body weight (25-30 kg), while this considerably increased lactation 4 and later lactations (136%), and body weights of over 40 kg (140 %).