MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN THE CONTROL OF REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE IN WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS FED DIFFERENT PROTEIN LEVELS

May 2017 | AJAR


Corresponding Author E-mail: ndumariwachida@gmail.com
Published: 23 May 2017

Abstracts


The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of three protein levels on (1) some reproductive parameters of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats such as number of oestrous cycles, lengths of oestrous cycles and (2) fertility in terms of conception, abortion, kidding, twining and kids survival. Nutritional treatment groups were: high protein supplementation (28.24 %), medium protein supplementation (18.94 %) and low protein supplementation (10.3 %). Five (5) adult does aged between 1-1½ years (body weight of 9-12 kg) were assigned to each treatment group. The does grazed native grass pastures supplemented with a concentrate ration of the different protein levels  fed at 5 % of body weight in the mornings and were weighed weekly throughout the experimental period. Oestrus activities were monitored visually for 2 hours in the morning and evening for five days. Thereafter, all does were synchronized using intravaginal progesterone release device (CIDR). On removal of the device after 19 days, a fertile buck was introduced to detect heat and mate does on heat. Blood samples were collected twice a week and serum was harvested throughout the study period to determine progesterone concentration. Results of this study indicate that the three levels of protein supplementation neither affected the number of oestrous cycles nor the lengths of oestrous cycles (p > 0.05) in cyclic does. Different protein levels significantly (p < 0.05) affected kid’s survival. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) on oestrous response, conception, abortion, kidding and twining in does fed different protein levels. In conclusion, low protein level intake affected reproductive performance of West African Dwarf does by lowering conception, twining, kidding and kid survival rate

Keywords:

Protein Supplementation; Reproductive Efficiency.

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