Effects of stage of lactation and dietary concentrate level on energy utilization by Alpine dairy goats

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Twenty-four lactating and 13 nonlactating Alpine goats were used to determine effects of stage of lactation and dietary concentrate level on energy utilization. Diets comprising 60 or 20% concentrate (60%C and 20%C, respectively) were consumed ad libitum by lactating animals and at a level of intake near maintenance by nonlactating animals. Measurement periods were d 25 to 31 (early), 87 to 94 (mid), and 176 to 183 (late) of lactation. Eleven observations were made in early and mid lactation for each diet, and 8 and 7 were made in late lactation for the 60%C and 20%C diets, respectively. Efficiency of metabolizable energy (ME) use for maintenance (66.9, 71.4, and 61.1% for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) and the maintenance ME requirement (479, 449, and 521 kJ/kg of BW0.75 for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) determined with nonlactating animals differed among stages of lactation. The efficiency of ME use for maintenance was similar between diets, but the maintenance requirement tended to be greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (504 vs. 463 kJ/kg of BW0.75). The latter difference may have involved greater ME intake for the 60%C diet, resulting in a slightly greater difference between ME intake and total heat energy for the 60%C compared with the 20%C diet (11 vs. −8 kJ/kg of BW0.75). Intake of ME by lactating goats was greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (18.6 vs. 16.3 MJ/d). Recovered energy in lactation from mobilized tissue tended to be greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (8.44 vs. 6.55 MJ/d) and differed among stages of lactation (2.60, 1.59, and 1.13 MJ/d in early, mid, and late lactation, respectively). Recovered energy in tissue gain was similar among stages of lactation and between diets and was not different from 0. Efficiency of use of dietary ME for lactation differed among stages of lactation (59.5, 51.9, and 65.4% for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) and tended to be greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (64.2 vs. 54.9%). The efficiency of use of dietary ME for maintenance and lactation was similar among stages of lactation and was greater for the 60%C compared with the 20%C diet (64.3 vs. 60.9%). Predicted milk yield from National Research Council requirements was reasonably accurate. In conclusion, using data of nonlactating goats to study energy utilization for maintenance in lactation has limitations. Efficiency of energy use by lactating dairy goats consuming diets high in concentrate appears greater than that by goats consuming diets low in concentrate. Despite differences in nutrient requirement expressions, observations of this study support National Research Council recommendations of energy requirements of lactating dairy goats.