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Haemonchus contortus Parasitism in Intensively Managed Cross-Limousin Beef Calves: Effects on Feed Conversion and Carcass Characteristics and Potential Associations with Climatic Conditions. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11090955. [PMID: 36145388 PMCID: PMC9500760 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11090955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The objectives of the study were: (a) to study the effect of Haemonchus spp. on the growth performance characteristics of fattening calves, (b) to assess any potential effects on carcass characteristics and (c) to investigate the potential role of climatic conditions in the process of the infection. The study was conducted for 201 days in an intensively managed cross-Limousin herd. The animals were divided into two equal groups: those receiving anthelmintic treatment (AT) and the untreated (C) controls. The same nutritional regime was applied to both groups and the feed consumption was calculated daily. Standard parasitological examinations were performed at weekly intervals. At slaughter, carcasses were weighed and assessed for conformation and fat cover classes. Climatic variables were obtained for the location of the farm and a temperature-humidity index was calculated. Before anthelmintic treatment with ivermectin, there was no difference in parasitic burdens between the two groups: 544 (AT) vs. 554 (C) epg, whilst after it, counts were 0 and 450–700 epg, respectively, with over 96% of larvae identified as Haemonchus spp. and, later, confirmed as Haemonchus contortus. It was concluded that treated animals had a higher average total bodyweight gain, higher feed conversion ratio and carcass yield of superior quality than controls. There was a difference between the two groups in the pattern of reduction of dry matter intake as the temperature-humidity index increased.
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Flores-Najera MJ, Vélez-Monroy LI, Sánchez-Duarte JI, Cuevas-Reyes V, Mellado M, Rosales-Nieto CA. Milk yield and composition and body weight of offsprings of mixed-breed goats on semi-arid rangelands with different rainfall. Trop Anim Health Prod 2020; 52:3799-3808. [PMID: 32989628 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-020-02418-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The objective was to characterize milk yield and composition from mixed-breed goats kidding in winter and grazing rangelands with 221 (n = 15), 334 (n = 20), or 441 (n = 12) mm of annual rainfall in northern Mexico (22-25°N). Weekly milk yield and composition were recorded and progeny growth performance assessed. Body weight loss during lactation was the highest (6.4 kg) for goats on rangeland with 441 mm of rainfall than goats on 221 mm (1.6 kg), or 334 mm (1.8 kg; P < 0.01). The highest daily milk yield was for goats on 221 mm (498 mL; P < 0.01). There was not an evident peak of lactation and milk yield increased uninterruptedly at the end of lactation. Milk fat was negatively related to milk yield and goats on rangeland with 334 mm had the greatest milk fat content (P < 0.001). Milk protein and lactose content were higher in goats on rangeland with 221 mm (P < 0.01). Goat kids on rangelands with 221 and 441 mm grew faster and were heavier (P < 0.001) at weaning than kids reared in other rangelands. Weaning weight was positively related to milk yield (P < 0.001); but not milk components (P > 0.05). In conclusion, moderate milk yield of mixed-breed goats on rangeland is feasible with parturitions in winter, and milk yield is not affected by reduced annual precipitation in rangelands of northern Mexico. Offspring growth performance depends on maternal milk yield, but not milk composition. Nevertheless, slow growth to weaning of offspring had adverse effects on time to reach adequate market weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Flores-Najera
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Campo Experimental La Laguna, 27440, Matamoros, COAH, Mexico
| | - L I Vélez-Monroy
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Campo Experimental La Laguna, 27440, Matamoros, COAH, Mexico
| | - J I Sánchez-Duarte
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Campo Experimental La Laguna, 27440, Matamoros, COAH, Mexico
| | - V Cuevas-Reyes
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Campo Experimental Valle de México, 56250, Texcoco, CDMX, Mexico
| | - M Mellado
- Departamento de Nutrición Animal, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, 25315, Saltillo, COAH, Mexico
| | - C A Rosales-Nieto
- Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78321, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
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Hacker RB, Alemseged Y. Incorporating farmed goats into sustainable rangeland grazing systems in southern Australia: a review. RANGELAND JOURNAL 2014. [DOI: 10.1071/rj13035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The recent trend to farming or re-domestication of feral goats poses serious questions for the ecological sustainability of the semiarid and arid rangelands of southern Australia. This paper reviews aspects of the biology and grazing habits of goats, and aspects of the Australian goat industry, relevant to their sustainable management in livestock enterprises. Key factors identified include high fertility and fecundity even under low seasonal rainfall conditions and a generalist feeding strategy. Adverse consequences for rangeland condition can be expected if seasonal or market conditions result in an imbalance between population growth and turnoff, resulting in high grazing pressures. Given the limited control of the reproductive process at the current stage of the development of goat farming, strategies aimed at ensuring continuity of sale of goats (e.g. on-property feed lots or supply chain and market development) will be important in ensuring that imbalances are avoided. Conservative stocking rates and use of seasonal risk management tools are also particularly relevant. The major research and development needs identified by this review, from a resource management perspective, concern the appropriate dry sheep equivalent rating for goat classes based on age, sex and reproductive status, the extent and consequences of heterogeneity of grazing in space, time, and across forage species, and development of means of establishing sustainable stocking rates based on the use of all available forage sources, including browse.
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Adjusting homestead feeding to requirements and nutrient intake of grazing goats on semi-arid, subtropical highland pastures. Animal 2012; 5:471-82. [PMID: 22445414 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731110001783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Intensive livestock grazing can largely deplete the natural fodder resources in semi-arid, subtropical highlands and together with the low nutritional quality of the pasture vegetation limit the growth and production of grazing animals. To evaluate the contribution of homestead feeding of grazing goats to rangeland conservation and animal nutrition, two researcher-managed on-farm trials were conducted in a mountain oasis of Northern Oman. Goats' feed intake on pasture in response to four rations containing different levels of locally available green fodder and concentrate feeds was determined in six male goats each (35 ± 10.2 kg body weight (BW)). Total feed intake was estimated using titanium dioxide as external fecal marker as well as the diet organic matter (OM) digestibility derived from fecal crude protein concentration. The nutritional quality of selected fodder plants on pasture was analyzed to determine the animals' nutrient and energy intake during grazing. The pasture vegetation accounted for 0.46 to 0.65 of the goats' total OM intake (87 to 107 g/kg0.75 BW), underlining the importance of this fodder resource for the husbandry system. However, metabolizable energy (7.2 MJ/kg OM) and phosphorus concentrations (1.4 g/kg OM) in the consumed pasture plants were low. Homestead feeding of nutrient and energy-rich by-products of the national fishery and date palm cultivation to grazing goats increased their daily OM intake (R2 = 0.36; P = 0.005) and covered their requirements for growth and production. While the OM intake on pasture was highest in animals fed a concentrate-based diet (P = 0.003), the daily intake of 21 g OM/kg0.75 BW of cultivated green fodder reduced the animals' feed intake on pasture (R2 = 0.44; P = 0.001). Adjusting homestead supplementation with locally available feedstuffs to the requirements of individual goats and to the nutritional quality of the pasture vegetation improves animal performance and eases the grazing pressure exerted on the natural vegetation. This management strategy therefore appears to be a valuable alternative to intensive livestock feeding in zero-grazing systems and may contribute to sustainable livestock production in ecologically fragile, semi-arid mountain regions.
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Tölü C, Yurtman İY, Baytekin H, Ataşoğlu C, Savaş T. Foraging strategies of goats in a pasture of wheat and shrubland. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2012. [DOI: 10.1071/an11251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Cereal pastures are a crucial source of forage to reduce grazing pressure on shrublands in the Mediterranean basin. This study aimed at investigating the grazing preferences and behaviours of goats with different genotypes, when a grazing area of shrubland (0.18 ha), which was composed of 88% shrubs, 10% herbaceous species and 2% footpath and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) pasture (0.20 ha) were offered together. Twelve lactating mature (in 2007) and 15 non-lactating yearling goats (in 2008) of three genotypes (Gökçeada, Maltese and Turkish Saanen) were used. The study was carried out for 45 days during the months of April and May. Animals stayed in the pasture for 8 h daily. No roughage or concentrate was offered. Grazing, lying, standing and ruminating behaviours were recorded at 10-min intervals, whereas bipedal stance and walking behaviours were continuously monitored by observers. Mature goats spent one-third and yearling goats spent half of their time in the shrubs. The frequency of preferences to pasture types differed among mature goat genotypes (P ≤ 0.05), but not among the yearling goats (P > 0.05). Grazing of wheat pasture by Gökçeada, of herbaceous plants in the shrubland by Maltese and of shrubs by Turkish Saanen goats were more prominent (P ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, goats gave priority to wheat pasture and grazing preferences and behaviours differed by genotypes. Turkish Saanen goats tended to show more bipedal stance behaviour than the other genotypes. However, there were high individual variations within genotype and age groups.
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Munn AJ, Cooper CE, Russell B, Dawson TJ, McLeod SR, Maloney SK. Energy and water use by invasive goats (Capra hircus) in an Australian rangeland, and a caution against using broad-scale allometry to predict species-specific requirements. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2011; 161:216-29. [PMID: 22079103 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2011.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2011] [Revised: 10/28/2011] [Accepted: 10/29/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Feral goats (Capra hircus) are ubiquitous across much of Australia's arid and semi-arid rangelands, where they compete with domestic stock, contribute to grazing pressure on fragile ecosystems, and have been implicated in the decline of several native marsupial herbivores. Understanding the success of feral goats in Australia may provide insights into management strategies for this and other invasive herbivores. It has been suggested that frugal use of energy and water contributes to the success of feral goats in Australia, but data on the energy and water use of free-ranging animals are lacking. We measured the field metabolic rate and water turnover rate of pregnant and non-pregnant feral goats in an Australian rangeland during late summer (dry season). Field metabolic rate of pregnant goats (601 ± 37 kJ kg(-0.73)d(-1)) was 1.3 times that of non-pregnant goats (456 ± 24 kJ kg(-0.73)d(-1)). The water turnover rate of pregnant goats (228 ± 18 mL kg(-0.79)d(-1)) was also 1.3 times that of non-pregnant goats (173 ± 18 kg(-0.79)d(-1)), but the difference was not significant (P=0.07). There was no significant difference in estimated dry matter digestibility between pregnant and non-pregnant goats (mean ca. 58%), blood or urine osmolality, or urine electrolyte concentrations, indicating they were probably eating similar diets and were able to maintain osmohomeostasis. Overall, the metabolic and hygric physiology of non-pregnant goats conformed statistically to the predictions for non-marine, non-reproductive placental mammals according to both conventional and phylogenetically independent analyses. That was despite the field metabolic rate and estimated dry matter intake of non-pregnant goats being only 60% of the predicted level. We suggest that general allometric analyses predict the range of adaptive possibilities for mammals, but that specific adaptations, as present in goats, result in ecologically significant departures from the average allometric curve. In the case of goats in the arid Australian rangelands, predictions from the allometric regression would overestimate their grazing pressure by about 40% with implications for the predicted impact on their local ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Munn
- Institute of Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia.
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Fernández C, Pascual JJ, Piquer O, Blas E, Cervera C. Milk Production Prediction of Dairy Goats Using Multiple Component Systems Models. JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2008.9706956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Mendizabal J, Delfa R, Arana A, Purroy A. Body condition score and fat mobilization as management tools for goats on native pastures. Small Rumin Res 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2011.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Kaufmann LD, Dohme-Meier F, Münger A, Bruckmaier RM, van Dorland HA. Metabolism of grazed vs. zero-grazed dairy cows throughout the vegetation period: hepatic and blood plasma parameters. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2011; 96:228-36. [PMID: 21453349 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2011.01142.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Grass may have a differential impact on the metabolism of the dairy cow, depending on the grazing system applied. In this study, the hypothesis was tested that metabolism of grazed vs. zero-grazed dairy cows is differently regulated throughout the vegetation period. The study included three experimental periods (p1, p2 and p3) of 14 days each, and two treatments [grazing from pasture, PASTURE, n = 9; or zero-grazing in a free-stall barn (BARN, n = 9)]. Blood and liver samples were collected at the end of each period when the cows were on average 64, 120 and 197 DIM. Concentrations of metabolites and hormones, and activities of various enzymes were determined in plasma. Liver samples were measured for mRNA abundance of genes encoding enzymes and nuclear receptors involved in metabolic pathways. PASTURE cows had higher plasma concentrations of T(3), BHB, and total protein than BARN cows across periods (p < 0.05). BARN cows had higher concentrations of NEFA (in p1) and urea (in p1 and p2) in relation PASTURE cows (p < 0.05), and had higher mRNA abundance of liver-X-receptor-α and glycerol-3-phosphate-acyltransferase across periods (p < 0.05). The results confirm the hypothesis that metabolism is different between BARN and PASTURE cows throughout the vegetation period, and show that the observed differences are mainly reflected in parameters of lipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Kaufmann
- Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux, Research Station ALP, Posieux, Switzerland
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Goetsch AL, Gipson TA, Askar AR, Puchala R. Invited review: Feeding behavior of goats1,2. J Anim Sci 2010; 88:361-73. [DOI: 10.2527/jas.2009-2332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Lachica M, Aguilera J. Methods to estimate the energy expenditure of goats: From the lab to the field. Small Rumin Res 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2008.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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