Effects of decoquinate on the growth and milk performance of young female goats

Abstract

In intensive conditions of goat milk production, the female goats can be mated as early as 7–8 months old (around 55% of adult live weight). The growth rate must be rapid from birth to the mating period. The purpose of the experiment is to know if decoquinate treatments in a goat flock without clinical coccidiosis can improve the growth and milk performances of replacement goats. Every year for 5 years, we compared two or three groups of young female Alpine goats of an experimental flock: the group S received a twice daily sulfadimerazine treatment for 3 days, and the groups D30 or D75 received 1 mg decoquinate/kg BW from 8 days before weaning to 30 or 75 days after weaning, respectively. At 7 months, the body weights of the D group were always higher than group S, by 1.4–4.8 kg. The 75-day treatment appeared to be more efficient for weight gain than the 30-day treatment. In all the cases, the feed efficiency was improved. The 100 or 200 days milk production of the first lactation was improved with the 75-day treatment but not the 30-day treatment. The effect on milk production was attributed to heavier live weight at mating and parturition of group D goats.