Sire Influence on Redberry Juniper Consumption by Kid Goats

Abstract

Both preconditioning and genetic selection can improve intake of redberry juniper (Juniperus pinchotii Sudw.). Preconditioning an acceptance of juniper has relied on feeding juniper to sheep or goats for 14 d at weaning. Successful genetic selection for juniper consumption by goats has relied on selection of both sires and dams for juniper intake. This study compared redberry juniper intake by kid goats from sires selectively bred for juniper consumption and sires chosen for production characteristics. We used five billies chosen for high juniper consumption and five billies chosen for other production characteristics and bred each to seven doe (n = 70). Doe had not been selected for juniper consumption. Kids were weaned at 90 d of age and placed in individual pens for testing. All kids were fed redberry juniper for 30 min each morning for 14 d. After any juniper refusals were collected, alfalfa pellets (2.5% body weight) were fed for the remainder of the day to meet maintenance requirements. Consumption of juniper was measured and compared between treatments and among sire groups. Once the 14-d juniper feeding trial was completed, all goats were placed on the same ad libitum ration for 30 d with body condition scores and weights taken and compared among treatments and sire groups after 30 d of feeding the complete ration. There were no differences in juniper consumption, body condition scores, and weights among treatments. Goats increased juniper consumption daily in individual pens. Sires’ willingness to consume juniper did not appear to impact intake of the plant by their offspring in this study.