Feed intake and milk performance of sheep and goats depending on quality of roughage and level of concentrate in the ration | Futteraufnahme und Milchleistung von Schafen und Ziegen in abhängigkeit von der Grundfutterqualität und dem Kraftfutterniveau in der Ration
2007
Ringdorfer, F., LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein (Austria). Institut für Nutztierforschung | Gruber, L. | Pöckl, E. | Maierhofer, G.
A three-factorial experiment was carried out in order to investigate the impact of species/breed, forage quality and concentrate level on feed intake (DMI) and milk production of female sheep and goats during lactation. The animals under investigation were Austrian Mountain Sheep (ÖB), East-Friesian Milk Sheep (OM) and German Dairy Goats (DE). By cutting an alpine permanent grassland 2 or 3 times a year, two levels of forage quality (56.8 and 59.8% digestibility of OM) were obtained. Concentrate levels were 5, 25 or 50% of DMI. Every new lactation, animals were allocated to a different concentrate level (but not forage quality), according to a latin square design. Mean live weight during lactation was 75, 66 and 54 kg for ÖB, OM and DE, respectively, as well as 63, 64 and 68 kg for concentrate levels 5, 25 and 50%. Whereas absolute values for DMI were not significantly different between species/breeds (mean of 2.16 kg), DMI related to LW0.75 revealed significant differences between species/breeds (87, 92, 109 g/ kg LW0.75), showing that animals of higher milk yield potential display a higher feed intake capacity. Increasing the concentrate proportion from 5 to 25 and 50% significantly promoted DMI (1.88, 2.14 and 2.46 kg/d, during lactation). Improving forage quality enhanced DMI from 2.08 to 2.24 kg/d, during lactation. It is concluded that all of the three factors investigated exerted a significant impact on feed intake of lactating sheep and goats. Mean milk fat content was 6.1, 4.9 and 2.9% for ÖB, OM and DE, respectively, as well as 4.7, 4.6 and 4.6% for concentrate levels 5, 25 and 50%, corresponding values for milk protein were 5.5, 5.0 and 2.9% (ÖB, OM and DE) and 4.3, 4.5 and 4.6% (5, 25 and 50%). ÖB, OM and DE yielded 983, 1022 and 2028 g actual milk per day. Actual milk yield per lactation was 143, 228 and 492 kg in ÖB, OM and DE as well as 201, 276 and 385 kg in concentrate levels 5, 25 and 50%. Actual milk yield (per day) was by far highest in dairy goats, while Mountain and Milk Sheep showed similar milk yields. High feeding levels, e.g. high concentrate proportions of the diet and the relation of milk yield to metabolic LW, underlines the outstanding milk production potential of this breed. Per year, Mountain Sheep yielded slightly more actual milk than Milk Sheep on a low concentrate diet, whereas Milk Sheep were somewhat superior when offered diets with high concentrate portions. Milk yield in goats was by far highest, but the low milk content of goats compared to sheep must also be taken into account.
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