Effect of Fed Omega-3 Addition on Milk Production and Some Reproductive Standards in Cypriot Goats

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Ruminant Research Station of the Agricultural Research Department/ Ministry of Agriculture, which is located in Abu Ghraib area, for the period from 12 April 2018 to 26 December 2018. This experiment included 27 Cypriot goats with a weight of 34-48 kg. They were randomly distributed into three groups of equal number (Nine goat in each group). The first group (T1) control group (T2) the second group was given 20 ml / Omega -3 per animal and the third group (T3) was given 40 ml / Omega -3 per animal. The results showed that there was a proper effect of treatment with omega-3 on milk production of Cypriot goats during October, November and December. The third treatment was properly superior (P≤0.05) at a rate of 1.62 ± 52.30, 1.76 ± 36.00 and 2.00 ± 33.71 kg for the first treatment (Control), which that recorded during the same months 1.80 ± 28.00, 1.10 ± 19.44 and 1.68 ± 18.90 kg, respectively. The results of the current study also indicate a significant increased (P≤0.05) for the third treatment was given 40 ml omega-3 in the fertility rate of Cypriot goats that reached 80% compared to the control group whose fertility rate reached 60%, the results showed that the percentage of fertility increased significantly (P≤0.05) for goats in the third group to 90%, while the group T2 and T1 scored 70%, also the percentage of births improved significantly (P≤0.01) among the goats in the third group that were given 40 ml of omega-3 by a rate of 90 % Compared to the group T1 and T2 as it reached 60%. The results showed no significant effect of omega-3 on the percentage of twins, as it reached group T1 and T2 as it reached 35% compared to group T3 33%. The results indicated a significant decrease on a silent estrus percentage for goats in the third group T3 when given 40 ml of omega-3 to 20% compared to the group T2 and T1 at a rate of 40%. The results also showed a significant improvement in the number of births per abdomen among goats of the third group, which gave 40 ml of omega-3 as the rate was 1.20 compared to the groups T1 and T2 as they reached 0.70 and 1.0, respectively. The omega-3 administration of goats was not reported to have any significant effect on the pregnancy duration of three groups, it appears through the results of the study, that is giving omega-3 has significantly increased dramatically the reproductive performance and a lesser degree the productive performance of Cypriot goats in Iraq.