Milk Yield and Composition of Red Sokoto and Weast African Dwarf Does Raised Intensively in a Hot Humid Environment

Subject Areas : Camel

F.O.  Ahamefule ¹ (College of Animal Science and Animal Production, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abia State, Nigeria)
O.  Odilinye ² (College of Animal Science and Animal Production, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abia State, Nigeria)
E.N.  Nwachukwu ³ (College of Animal Science and Animal Production, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike Abia State, Nigeria)

Received: 2011-04-27 Accepted : 2011-07-15 Published : 2012-06-01

Keywords: milk composition, milk yield, macrominerals, Red Sokoto, West African Dwarf,

Abstract :

Six Red Sokoto (RS) and West African Dwarf (WAD) does, raised intensively in livestock farm of Michael Okpara University were evaluated for milk yield and composition in a ten-week study. The animals in their first parity were fed cut-and-carry forages in a cafeteria arrangement between 07:00-08:00 h daily and also were allowed access to concentrate supplementation by 14:00 h. The forage consisted of a sward of Panicum maximum, Centrosema pubescens, Calapogonium mucunoides, Emilia sanchifolis, Tridax procumbens and Urenia lobata while the supplement was a 14.8% CP concentrate ration formulated from wheat, soya bean meal, maize offals, palm kernel cake. Drinking water was provided ad libitum. The does were hand milked daily from 6-8 am prior to feeding and yield determined for each group. Milk samples were bulked per animal per week and analyzed for total solids (TS), butterfat (BF), crude protein (CP), solids-not-fat (SNF) and total ash. Lactose was, however, determined daily from fresh milk samples and data obtained was analyzed using T-test. Results showed that lactose, CP and ash were not influenced (P>0.05) by species; however, butterfat, TS, SNF and milk yield differed significantly (P<0.05) between the small ruminant breeds. RS had relatively higher BF (4.81%) in milk than WAD goat (4.72%), but TS and SNF concentrations (%) were lower in the milk of RS (12.82, 8.22, respectively) than WAD (13.16, 8.59, respectively) goat. Macrominerals content of milk (calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus) were also affected (P<0.05) by species. Calcium, magnesium and sodium concentrations (%) in milk were significantly higher (P<0.05) for RS (0.15, 0.11, 0.11, respectively) than WAD (0.12, 0.09, 0.09, respectively) goat; phosphorus and potassium levels in milk were, however, higher (P<0.05) in WAD (0.14, 0.11, respectively) than RS (0.13, 0.09, respectively) goat. Lactation performance for WAD and RS goats in the current investigation were relatively low when compared with existing records. Differences in yield and milk composition within and between species in this study, relative to earlier reports, were attributed to genetic make up, management and environmental factors.

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