• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2010

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary energy and protein levels on milk production in Saanen (Capra hircus) dairy goats fed the diets with the different ratio of forage and concentrate. Four lactating goats in mid lactation ($57.5{\pm}10.8\;kg$ BW) were used in a $4{\times}4$ Latin square with 21-d periods. Animals were randomly allocated to one of the four groups; 10.59 MJ ME/kg and 11.90% CP (TJ), 10.14 MJ ME/kg and 12.73% CP (T2), 9.45 MJ ME/kg and 15.19% CP (T3), 8.75 MJ ME/kg and 16.60% CP DM (T4). Also ratio of forage to concentrate was 49: 51 (Tl), 59: 41 (T2), 74: 26 (T3) and 90: 10 (T4). Intakes of forage and concentrate were linearly increased (p<0.05) with their increasing energy levels in the diets. No significant differences were found in total dry matter intake and body weight between treatments. Milk yield in T3 was the highest among treatments (p<0.05). Relative to other treatments, T4 significantly (p

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.269-276
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• 2009

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of increases of nutrient level of TMR on dry matter intake, digestibility, nitrogen and energy balance in growing dairy goats (Saanen). Twelve growing dairy goats weighing 17.5kg were randomly assigned to one of four TMRs; low energy-low crude protein (CP) TMR (control; A), high energy-low CP TMR (B), low energy-high CP TMR (C) and high energy-high CP TMR (D). The content of total digestible nutrients (TDN) and CP in the control diet were 67% and 11%. The TDN content of the high energy TMR was 73.7% and the CP content of the high CP TMR was 13%. Dry matter intake was highest in D, and significantly higher in B than in C (p<0.05). Digestibility for dry matter and cell contents increased in proportion to dry matter intake. NDF digestibility was higher in D than in A, while ADF digestibility was higher in A and C than in B, but was not significant. Digestible nitrogen, apparently digested nitrogen and retained nitrogen were correlated with intake, and significantly higher in B than in C (p<0.05). Digestible energy and metabolizable energy were highest in D, and significantly higher in B than in C (p<0.05). Therefore, the present results showed that D or B were better than C for high intake, digestibility, nitrogen and energy utilization.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.283-289
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• 2002

A comparative study on the quality of meat from three breeds of goats reared in Bulgaria: Local Aboriginal (LA); Bulgarian White Dairy (BWD) and crossbreeds of local aboriginal with Saanen goats (LA ${\times}$ S). Eight intact young male goats from each breed have been included in the experiment. The animals from the three breeds have been reared under similar conditions. The animals have been slaughtered at the age of 2 months (at weaning) and at the age of 6 months (upon reaching sexual maturity). The following tests have been performed on samples of m. longissimus dorsi between $5^{th}$ and $6^{th}$ ribs: pH 45 min post mortum, colorimetrically color of meat, water holding capacity and fatty acid composition of the fat. The thickness of muscle fibre and the proportion of muscle, connective and adipose tissue have been microscopically determined at m. longissimus dorsi, m. semitendinosus and m. iliopsoas. After deboning and separating the bigger tendons, the chemical composition of the meat from the left half of the carcass has been determined. The results reveal lack of statistically significant differences among the three breeds concerning pH, the water holding capacity, color of meat, thickness of the muscle fibre and fatty acid composition of the fat. The carcass meat of crossbreeds of LA ${\times}$ S contains significantly more fat than the other two breeds. This influences the proportion of muscle, connective and adipose tissue in m. longissimus dorsi, m. semitendinosus and m. iliopsoas, resulting in more adipose tissue in the LA ${\times}$ S compared to young goats of the LA or the BWD. There are differences in slaughtering 2-month-old goats (at weaning) and 6-month-old ones (upon reaching sexual maturity). At a greater age the content of fat in the carcass increases, as well as the quantity of the adipose tissue, the intensity of the colour of the meat and there is a tendency towards thickening of the muscle fibre and increasing the water holding capacity of meat. The moisture content in meat decreases due to the increase of fat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.842-844
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• 2000

Changes in respiration rate (RR), rectal temperature (RT), respiratory moisture loss (RML), packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) were monitored in 2 adults female goats each of the Saanen (S) and Toggenburg (T) breeds during 60 min of exercise (walking at 3 km/h) on a moving-belt treadmill on each of 6 alternate days. A significant $time{\times}breed$ interaction was observed for RR; mean values in Sand T after 60 min of exercise were 130 and 223 /min ($p{\leq}0.01$). The observed time x breed interaction for RT indicated that S was less stressed by exercise than T; mean values after 60 min exercise were 40.4 and $40.8^{\circ}C$ respectively ($p{\leq}0.01$). For RML, the $day{\times}breed$ interaction ($p{\leq}0.001$) indicated that while S had higher values on day 1, thereafter the values for T were higher. The $time{\times}breed$ interaction for RML/breath indicated that values for T declined more rapidly (from 9.4 to 3.1 mgjbreath) than those for S (from 8.3 to 4.1 mgjbreath; ($p{\leq}0.01$). PCV declined during exercise ($p{\leq}0.05$) by 5.5 percentage points. The exercise imposed was stressful in that it led to increases in RR, RT and RML. S was most tolerant of exercise in that it recorded lower values of RT. The fact that the RML/breath was higher during exercies in S apparently allowed it to compensate for a lower RR. Despite higher RR and RML, T also had a higher RT, suggesting either higher muscular heat production during exercise in that breed, or higher sweating losses in S.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1701-1711
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• 2012

Okinawan Awamori is produced by fermenting steamed indica rice with black mold, yeast, and water. Awamori-pressed lees is a by-product of the Awamori production process. Tofu lees is a by-product of the Tofu production process. This research consisted of two experiments conducted to elucidate whether or not dried Awamori-pressed lees and Tofu lees can be used as a mixed feed ingredient for raising female goats. In experiment 1, digestion trials were conducted to ascertain the nutritive values of dried Awamori-pressed lees and dried Tofu lees for goats. The digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) contents of dried Awamori-pressed lees and Tofu lees were 22.5%, 22.5% (DCP), and 87.2%, 94.4% (TDN) respectively. In experiment 2, 18 female goats (Japanese Saanen${\times}$Nubian, three months old, body weight $15.4{\pm}0.53$ kg) were divided into three groups of six animals (control feed group (CFG), Awamori-pressed lees mixed feed group (AMFG), Tofu lees mixed feed group (TMFG)). The CFG control used feed containing 20% soybean meal as the main protein source, while the AMFG and TMFG treatments used feed mixed with 20% dried Awamori-pressed lees or dried Tofu lees. The groups were fed mixed feed (volume to provide 100 g/d increase in body weight) twice a day (10:00, 16:00). The klein grass hay and water was given ad libitum. The hay intake was measured at 08:00 and 16:00. Body weight and size measurements were taken once a month. At the end of the experiment, a blood sample was drawn from the jugular vein of each animal. The DCP and TDN intakes in AMFG and TMFG showed no significant difference to the CFG. Cumulative measurements of growth in body weight, withers height, chest depth, chest girth, and hip width over the 10 mo period in the AMFG and TMFG were similar to the CFG. By contrast, cumulative growth in body length and hip height in the AMFG and TMFG tended to be larger than the CFG. Cumulative growth in chest width in the AMFG was significantly larger (p<0.05) than the CFG. Blood parameter values were similar to those in normal goats reported by other scientists. The coats of the AMFG and TMFG animals looked shinier than the animals in the CFG. The results demonstrate that dried Awamori-pressed lees and Tofu lees can be used as a feed ingredient for the raising female goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.966-975
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• 2015

Heat production in ruminants follows a diurnal pattern over the course of a day peaking 3 hours following afternoon feeding and then gradually declining to its lowest point prior to morning feeding. In order to clarify the cooling period most effective in reducing decreases in feed intake and milk production, experiments were carried out based on the diurnal rhythm of heat production and heat dissipation. In experiment 1, the effects of hot environment on milk production were investigated. The animals were kept first in a thermoneutral environment ($20.0^{\circ}C$, 80.0%) for 12 days, they were then transitioned to a hot environment ($32^{\circ}C$, 80.0%) for 13 days before being returned to second thermoneutral environment for a further 12 days. In experiment 2, the effectiveness of daytime cooling or nighttime cooling for improving milk production in hot environment was compared. While ten lactating Japanese Saanen goats (aged 2 years, weighing 41.0 kg) during early lactation were used in experiment 1, ten lactating goats (aged 2 years, weighing 47.5 kg) during mid-lactation were used in experiment 2. The animals were fed 300 g of concentrated feed and excessive amounts of crushed alfalfa hay cubes twice daily. Water was given ad libitum. The animals were milked twice daily. When exposed to a hot environment, milk yield and composition decreased significantly (p<0.05). Milk yield in the hot environment did not change with daytime cooling, but tended to increase with nighttime cooling. Compared to the daytime cooling, milk components percentages in the nighttime cooling were not significantly different but the milk components yields in the nighttime cooling were significantly higher (p<0.05). The results indicate that nighttime cooling is more effective than daytime cooling in the reduction of milk production declines in lactating goats exposed to a hot environment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.673-679
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• 1998

The experiment was conducted to determine in situ rumen degradability of soybean meal (SM), fish meal (FM), sesame cake (SC) and Italian ryegrass hay (IRGH) and the effect of supplementing the above protein meals to IRGH on digestibility and balance of nutrients in three Saanen goats. For measuring the degradability, nylon bags containing each meal were incubated in the rumen of one fistulated dry cow for 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hrs. Degradability revealed that SM protein was highly degradable in the rumen (99.1%), while FM protein was less degradable (76.8%) with SC protein being intermediate (91.2%) at 48 hrs of incubation (p < 0.01). Degradation rate of the potentially degradable fraction was estimated to be 12.12, 5.88 and 5.88%/hr for SM, FM and SC, respectively. In the metabolism trial, all goats were offered daily 900 g IRGH and one of the supplements, SM (100 g), FM (75 g) or SC (100 g). Intake of DM, OM, CP and GE was similar among diets. However, digestibility of OM for SC diet was significantly lower than that for diets supplemented with FM and SM (p < 0.10). Nitrogen (N) excreted in faeces (p < 0.05) and in urine (p < 0.10) was, respectively, higher and lower for SC diet than that for the other two diets. The same tendency was observed in energy losses in faeces (p < 0.10) and in urine (p < 0.05). There was no difference in energy loss in methane or in heat production among diets. Consequently, no significant difference was observed in N retention (2.13, 0.42 and -0.11 g/day for FM, SC and SM diet, respectively) or in energy retention (-1.49, -2.14 and -2.70 MJ/day for FM, SM and SC diet, respectively). These results showed that protein supplements affected the digestion of diets based on grass hay with 7.45% CP in DM in goats, although there was no significant influence on N or energy retention.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.502-514
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• 2012

When ruminants consume dry forage, they also drink large volumes of water. The objective of this study was to clarify which factor produced when feed boluses enter the rumen is mainly responsible for the marked increase in water intake in the second hour of the 2 h feeding period in large-type goats fed on dry forage for 2 h twice daily. Six large-type male esophageal- and ruminal-fistulated goats (crossbred Japanese Saanen/Nubian, aged 2 to 6 years, weighing $85.1{\pm}4.89kg$) were used in two experiments. In experiment 1, the water deprivation (WD) control and the water availability (WA) treatment were conducted to compare changes in water intake during and after dry forage feeding. In experiment 2, a normal feeding conditions (NFC) control and a feed bolus removal (FBR) treatment were carried out to investigate whether decrease in circulating plasma volume or increase in plasma osmolality is mainly responsible for the marked increase in water intake in the second hour of the 2 h feeding period. The results of experiment 1 showed that in the WA treatment, small amounts of water were consumed during the first hour of feeding while the majority of water intake was observed during the second hour of the 2 h feeding period. Therefore, the amounts of water consumed in the second hour of the 2 h feeding period accounted for 82.8% of the total water intake. The results of experiment 2 indicated that in comparison with the NFC control, decrease in plasma volume in the FBR treatment, which was indicated by increase in hematocrit and plasma total protein concentrations, was higher (p<0.05) in the second hour of the 2 h feeding period. However, plasma osmolality in the FBR treatment was lower (p<0.05) than compared to the NFC control from 30 min after the start of feeding. Therefore, thirst level in the FBR treatment was 82.7% less (p<0.01) compared with that in the NFC control upon conclusion of the 30 min drinking period. The results of the study indicate that the increased plasma osmolality in the second hour of the 2 h feeding period is the main physiological stimulating factor of water intake during and after dry forage feeding in large-type goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.341-352
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• 2012

In large-type goats that were fed on dry forage twice daily, dry forage intake was markedly suppressed after 40 min of feeding had elapsed. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not marked decreases in dry forage intake after 40 min of feeding are mainly caused by the two factors, that is, ruminal distension and increased plasma osmolality induced thirst produced by dry forage feeding. Six large-type male esophageal- and ruminal-fistulated goats (crossbred Japanese Saanen/Nubian, aged 2 to 6 years, weighing $85.1{\pm}4.89kg$) were used in two experiments. The animals were fed ad libitum a diet of roughly crushed alfalfa hay cubes for 2 h from 10:00 to 12:00 am during two experiments. Water was withheld during feeding in both experiments but was available for a period of 30 min after completion of the 2 h feeding period. In experiment 1, saliva lost via the esophageal fistula was replenished by an intraruminal infusion of artificial parotid saliva (RIAPS) in sham feeding conditions (SFC) control, and the treatment was maintained under normal feeding conditions (NFC). In experiment 2, a RIAPS and non-insertion of a balloon (RIAPS-NB) control was conducted in the same manner as the SFC control of experiment 1. The intraruminal infusion of hypertonic solution and insertion of a balloon (RIHS-IB) treatment was carried out simultaneously to reproduce the effects of changing salt content and ruminal distension due to feed entering the rumen. The results of experiment 1 showed that due to the effects of multiple dry forage suppressing factors when feed boluses entered the rumen, eating rates in the NFC treatment decreased (p<0.05) after 40 min of feeding and cumulative dry forage intake for the 2 h feeding period reduced to 43.8% of the SFC control (p<0.01). The results of experiment 2 indicated that due to the two suppressing factors of ruminal distension and increased plasma osmolality induced thirst, eating rates in the RIHS-IB treatment were, as observed under NFC, reduced (p<0.05) and cumulative dry forage intake for the 2 h feeding period decreased to 34.0% of the RIAPS-NB control (p<0.01). The combined effects of ruminal distension and increased plasma osmolality accounted for 77.5% of the suppression of dry forage intake 40 min after the start of dry forage feeding. The results indicate that ruminal distension and increased plasma osmolality induced thirst are the main factors in the suppression of dry forage intake in large-type goats.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.599-612
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of organic feed containing rice bran and soybean hull as organic by-products on milk production of mid-lactation dairy goats. Four Saanen dairy goats (initial BW $59.4{\pm}7.4$ kg, average 6 lactation months, fourth kidding) were allocated into conventional feed group (T1) and organic feed group (T2) with 2${\times}$3 crossover design for 9 weeks. Experimental diets were formulated to contain 23 MJ ME/d, 382 g CP/d DM based on NRC (1981) and AFRC (1998). Dry matter (DM) intakes of concentrate and silage were higher in T2 (1,232 and 96 g/d) than T1 (1,105 and 91 g/d) (p<0.05). However, DM intake of hay was higher in T1 (488 g) than T2 (347 g) (p<0.05). Total DM intake had no significant difference between T1 and T2. Although no significant difference was found in milk yield between treatments, T2 numerically increased (+150 g/d) compared with T1. There were no significant differences in milk composition and milk urea nitrogen (MUN) between T1 and T2. Relative to T1, T2 significantly increased the stearic acid (C18:0) and linoleic acid (C18:2) (p<0.05). Overall results of the present experiment indicated that organic feed could not adversely affect DM intake and milk production in dairy goats compared with conventional feed.