Effect of pregnancy and lactation on liveweight, feed intake and feeding behavior in West African Dwarf (WAD) goats

Abstract

During 21 weeks of pregnancy and 12 weeks of lactation, liveweight (LW) and dry matter intake (DMI) of 10 breeding primiparous WAD does and five unmated WAD does (control) fed pelleted alfalfa ad libitum were recorded weekly. Digestibilities of OM and CP were estimated (7-day total collection period) and eating and rumination behavior (four animals per group) were observed (4 days per period). During pregnancy, the breeding group gained 6 kg more weight than the controls but lost this again at parturition. LW during lactation remained constant but control animals gained weight (37 g day −1). DMI relative to metabolic size (RDMI) during pregnancy was significantly higher (+4.5 g W − 3 4 day −1) in the breeding group. During lactation the RDMI of the breeding group was approximately twice the RDMI of the controls, with peak intake of 140 g W − 3 4 day −1 in week 8 of the lactation. Does suckling twins showed a significantly higher RDMI than does suckling singles. The average time spent eating and ruminating varied from 4.0 to 6.7 and 5.8 to 8.4 h day −1, respectively. During lactation the breeding group did not spend more time eating than during pregnancy (6.6 vs 6.7 h day −1) and spent less time ruminating (6.7 vs 8.4 h day −1). Differences between breeding and control group in time spent eating and ruminating and in apparent digestibilities of OM and CP during pregnancy and lactation were not statistically significant.