At Los Vilos Subexperimental Station, owned to Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA, Chile 31º52' Lat. S, 71º28' Long. W) creole goats were suplemented with alfalfa hay during post-kidding period under dry condition. Forty creole goats were asigned to four treatment according to a weaning date, in a completly randomized design with 10 goats per treatment. The treatments were O, 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 kg of alfalfa hay (treatment I, II, III and IV, respectively). The experiment started 60 days after weaning (september 14), and it finished 84 days later (december 7). Hay intake, liveweight and body condition, milk production, total solid matter, fat matter and non fat solid matter were evaluated. Finally body weights were significantly different (P < 0.05) 41.2b, 41.3ab, 47.9ab and 48.0a kg on the four treatments, respectively. Also hay treatment body condition differ (P < 0.01) to control treatment with a significant residual effect. Milk production increased after 35 days of initiated the experiment with a 48.17b, 54.83b, 60.04ab and 69.49 L/goat on the four treatments respectively (P < 0.01). Milk component, total solid and solid no fat were not different; total fat matter production differ significatively (P < 0.05) with 2.29b, 2.44b, 2.75ab and 3.05a kg on the four treatment, respectively. Alfalfa hay suplementation increased milk production and animal fat condition. The alfalfa hay supplementation during lactation period improve milk production and also body weight and condition. Level between 1.2 and 1.8 kg of alfalfa hay daily per animal its practicable. However it is necesary a positive supplement-cheese relation price. |
ChileanJAR
