Lifetime Reproductive Performance of Goats as a Function of Growth Traits and Reproductive Performance Early in Life

Abstract

Mellado, M., Mellado, J., García, J.E. and López, R. 2005. Lifetime reproductive performance of goats as a function of growth traits and reproductive performance early in life. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 27: 113–116. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the association between reproductive performance of 476 dairy goats in their first reproductive cycle with reproductive efficiency late in their life. Does with an initially high body weight at birth (>3.2 kg) subsequently produced litters that were 6% larger than does with <2.7 kg at birth. Does with the higher weight gains as kids, had litters that were 8 and 15% heavier at birth and at 25 d of age throughout adult life than goats with the lowest gains during the first month of life. Does that gave birth to multiples in their first reproductive cycle subsequently had 10% more (P<0.01) average kids per doe joined, and 8% more (P<0.01) litter weight at birth I doe joined than does that had single kids at their first reproductive opportunity. It was concluded that managing for optimum doe weight as kids and strict culling of does with lighter litters at birth or at 25 d of age during their first kidding seems to be a practical option to improve lifetime reproductive performance in dairy goats without nutritional restrictions.