Characterization of milk production and composition of four exotic goat breeds in Brazil

Abstract

Milk production traits, milk composition and somatic cell count (SCC) from exotic dairy goats were characterized in tropical climate using data from Dairy Goats Breeding Program. The breeds analyzed are distributed in two regions of Brazil (Southeast and Northeast). The Alpine, Saanen and Toggenburg (raised in Southeast) breeds were compared among themselves and with the breeds of Northeast (Anglo Nubian and Saanen). This study demonstrated that milk yield, 305-day lactation yield, lactation length and daily milk yield were influenced by the genetic of animal (breed) and the environmental conditions, such as flock, month and year of production. These same effects affected the milk composition and SCC which also were influenced by physiological stages of the does (lactation and test-day milk order). There were differences in milk composition between the breeds. This may be a result of diet and chemical composition of the pasture feeding the animals, as well as others genetic and environmental factors. The global averages for proportion of lactose were below of the minimum limits established by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply. The average of SCC was above one million of cells/mL. This study is the first work of characterization of exotic breeds in tropical climate with a database derived of official milk recording.