Effect of diets with whey powder on growth and development of Saanen Goat kids

Abstract

Abstract. In this study, the effect of the diets enriched nutritionally with whey powder (WP) on the growth and development of weaned Saanen Goat kids was investigated. For the purpose, 24 kids born in March 2017 and weaned after 5 months and reared for 8 weeks in Adnan Menderes University Agricultural Faculty Research and Application Farm were used. The kids were divided into three groups according to the content of the ration. The kids whose beginning weights were recorded were distributed homogeneously to each group. These groups were labeled as the control group (CG) and the experimental groups which were formed by adding 5% (5%WP) and 10% whey powder (10%WP) to the ration by removing the same amount of feed. The following parameters of the experimental kids were controlled: live weight, body condition score (BCS), body length, chest girth, the height at the withers, and some blood serum indices (total protein, cholesterol, glucose and urea). The differences between the initial and final values of the growth performance parameters in the groups with the best improvement according to the results obtained from the experiment were found to be 2.57 kg in body weight and 6.25 cm in body length in 10%WP group and the body condition score was 0.26 points, wither height 6.06 cm, and chest girth 6.75 cm in the 5%WP group. When the groups in which the best results are observed in blood parameters are considered; in the 5% WP group, the difference between the initial and final values were found to be 4.19 mg/dL in glucose and 1.22 g/dL in total protein, while urea 41.06 mg/L and cholesterol were determined to be 58.53 mg/dL in the 10%WP group. In the light of the results obtained, it has been determined that the addition of WP in a certain amount to the ration has a positive effect on the growth and development of the kids. As a result of the study, the addition of 5%WP was recommended in the ration to be given during the kid growing period.