ABSTRACT
Effect of alfalfa hay supplementation on creole goats milk production

Raúl Meneses R.1
 

At los Vilos Subexperimental Station, belonging to Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA, Chile 31º 52' lat.; 71º 2B' long. W) a goat supplementation trial, with LB kg alfalfa hay, was stablished during, late pregnancy (I); late pregnancy and 60 days of lactation (II); 60 days of lactation (III) and late pregnancy and 142 days of lactation (IV). Animals were assigned according to a weaning date in a complete randomized design with 10 goats per treatmen!. The experiment started 60 days befo re kidding (April 29, 1990) and finished 142 days after kidding (November 9, 1990). Hay intake per treatment, body weight and condition, milk production, total solid malter, fat matter, and non fat salid matter were evaluated. Milk production data were adjusted to Wood lactation equation. Kidding weights of goats were 47.8a, 45.9a, 40.3b and 48.3a (P < 0.01), respectively. Body condition at kidding was 3.3a, 3.1 a, 2.4b and 3.3a (P < 0.01), respectively. Treatment effects were more marked on milked on milk production than on body weight or condition. Before and after kidding suplementation was significant on milk production (P < 0.01), with a residual effect of 40 and 10 days for IV and II, respectively. After kidding supplementation effect was different from day 24 of lactation, sinceresidual effect was maintained until day 17 on treatment I. Milk component was not different. Only days 4, 7 and 20 were different for total milk solid (P < 0.05). Fat malter differs on days 59, 213 and 227 of lactation (P < 0.05). Non fatty soiid malter differs on days 241, 255 and 269 (P < 0.05). The adjusted lactation data were highly significant (P < 0.01). Milk production estimations were 82.17, 114.20, 106.76 and 159.98 L, respectively. Daily milk declinations were 0.216, 0.319, 0.304 and 0,348. Supplementation during lactation or before kidding and 142 days after kidding allowed milk productio

Keywords: goats, supplementation, alfalfa hay, pregnancy, lactation.
1 Subestación Experimental Los Vilos (INIA), Casilla 40, Los Vilos, Chile.