I. Tovar-Luna

Effects of stage of lactation and dietary concentrate level on energy utilization by Alpine dairy goats

Twenty-four lactating and 13 nonlactating Alpine goats were used to determine effects of stage of lactation and dietary concentrate level on energy utilization. Diets comprising 60 or 20% concentrate (60%C and 20%C, respectively) were consumed ad libitum by lactating animals and at a level of intake near maintenance by nonlactating animals. Measurement periods were d 25 to 31 (early), 87 to 94 (mid), and 176 to 183 (late) of lactation. Eleven observations were made in early and mid lactation for each diet, and 8 and 7 were made in late lactation for the 60%C and 20%C diets, respectively. Efficiency of metabolizable energy (ME) use for maintenance (66.9, 71.4, and 61.1% for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) and the maintenance ME requirement (479, 449, and 521 kJ/kg of BW(0.75) for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) determined with nonlactating animals differed among stages of lactation. The efficiency of ME use for maintenance was similar between diets, but the maintenance requirement tended to be greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (504 vs. 463 kJ/kg of BW(0.75)). The latter difference may have involved greater ME intake for the 60%C diet, resulting in a slightly greater difference between ME intake and total heat energy for the 60%C compared with the 20%C diet (11 vs. -8 kJ/kg of BW(0.75)). Intake of ME by lactating goats was greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (18.6 vs. 16.3 MJ/d). Recovered energy in lactation from mobilized tissue tended to be greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (8.44 vs. 6.55 MJ/d) and differed among stages of lactation (2.60, 1.59, and 1.13 MJ/d in early, mid, and late lactation, respectively). Recovered energy in tissue gain was similar among stages of lactation and between diets and was not different from 0. Efficiency of use of dietary ME for lactation differed among stages of lactation (59.5, 51.9, and 65.4% for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) and tended to be greater for the 60%C than for the 20%C diet (64.2 vs. 54.9%). The efficiency of use of dietary ME for maintenance and lactation was similar among stages of lactation and was greater for the 60%C compared with the 20%C diet (64.3 vs. 60.9%). Predicted milk yield from National Research Council requirements was reasonably accurate. In conclusion, using data of nonlactating goats to study energy utilization for maintenance in lactation has limitations. Efficiency of energy use by lactating dairy goats consuming diets high in concentrate appears greater than that by goats consuming diets low in concentrate. Despite differences in nutrient requirement expressions, observations of this study support National Research Council recommendations of energy requirements of lactating dairy goats.

Technical Note: The relationship between heart rate and energy expenditure in growing crossbred Boer and Spanish wethers.

Eight Boer (75%) x Spanish (BS) and 8 Spanish (S) wethers (155 +/- 8 d of age and 19.2 +/- 2.3 kg of BW initially) were used in a replicated crossover design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to determine effects of genotype, diet quality, and time of day on energy expenditure (EE), heart rate (HR), and EE:HR with ad libitum, near maintenance, and fasting levels of feed intake. Diets were 65% concentrate or coarsely ground alfalfa hay. Energy expenditure was ranked (P < 0.05) ad libitum > maintenance > fasting (500, 390, and 270 kJ/kg of metabolic BW). Heart rate did not differ between genotypes when fasting and with maintenance intake, but was greater (P < 0.05) for S than for BS when intake was ad libitum (BS: 55, 71, and 92; S: 52, 72, and 100 beats/min for fasting, maintenance, and ad libitum, respectively, SEM = 2.0). There was an interaction in EE:HR (P < 0.05) between level of feed intake and genotype (BS: 5.31, 5.59, and 5.00; S: 5.07, 5.57, and 5.22 kJ/kg of metabolic BW:beat/min for ad libitum, maintenance, and fasting, respectively, SEM = 0.13), without an effect of diet. The effect of time on EE, HR, and EE:HR differed among levels of intake (P < 0.05). General patterns of change in EE and HR as time of day advanced did not differ, but increases near meals followed by decreases were of slightly greater magnitude for maintenance than for ad libitum intake. The ratio of EE:HR was greater for the maintenance level of feed intake than for ad libitum intake at most times. These results indicate similar potential for use of HR to predict EE of different genotypes of growing meat goats and that establishing EE:HR with different diets or levels of intake may not be crucial. Magnitudes of difference among hours suggest that when EE:HR is used to predict EE of confined goats from full-day measurement of HR, EE:HR should be determined over an extended period of time, such as 24 h.

Effects of stage of lactation and level of feed intake on energy utilization by Alpine dairy goats

Thirty-six lactating Alpine does were used to determine effects of stage of lactation and level of feed intake on energy utilization. Twelve does were assigned to measurement periods in early, mid, and late lactation (wk 5, 13, and 27, respectively). For 6 does of each group, after ad libitum consumption of a 60% concentrate diet, feed intake was restricted to near the metabolizable energy (ME) requirement for maintenance (ME(m)) for 8 d followed by fasting for 4 d. For other does, fasting immediately followed ad libitum consumption. Intake of ME was similar among stages of lactation with ad libitum intake (22.1, 22.1, and 19.8 kJ/d in early, mid, and late lactation, respectively). The efficiency of ME use for maintenance determined with does fed near ME(m) averaged 81%. Fasting heat energy was greater for ad libitum consumption than for near ME(m) consumption [368 vs. 326 kJ/kg of body weight (BW)(0.75)] and was numerically lowest among stages in late lactation with near ME(m) intake (334, 350, and 295 kJ/kg of BW(0.75) in early, mid, and late lactation, respectively) and ad libitum consumption (386, 384, and 333 kJ/kg of BW(0.75) in early, mid, and late lactation, respectively). The efficiency of use of dietary ME for lactation was greater for consumption near ME(m) than for consumption ad libitum (67.9 vs. 58.6%) and with ad libitum consumption tended to decrease with advancing stage of lactation (63.9, 57.3, and 54.5% for early, mid, and late lactation, respectively). Estimated ME(m) was greater for ad libitum intake than for near ME(m) intake and was lowest during late lactation (429, 432, and 358 kJ/kg of BW(0.75) for near ME(m) intake and 494, 471, and 399 kJ/kg of BW(0.75) for ad libitum intake in early, mid, and late lactation, respectively). However, because of increasing BW as the experiment progressed, ME(m) (MJ/d) was similar among stages of lactation with both levels of intake. The efficiency of ME use for maintenance and lactation was similar among stages of lactation and greater with near ME(m) intake than ad libitum intake (77.1 vs. 67.7%). In conclusion, the ME(m) requirement (kJ/kg of BW(0.75)) of does in late lactation was less than in early and mid lactation. A marked effect of restricted feed intake subsequent to ad libitum consumption on estimates of efficiency of energy use for maintenance and lactation was observed compared with use of nonlactating animals. Level of feed intake can have substantial effect on estimates of energy utilization by lactating dairy goats.

Effects of Level of Feeding on Energy Utilization by Angora Goats

Twelve mature Angora does were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square to determine effects of feeding level on energy utilization. Fiber growth and change in tissue (nonfiber) mass were determined in the first 4 wk of 6-wk periods, preceded by 14 or 18 d of adaptation. Determination of ME intake and gas exchange measures occurred in wk 4, followed by feeding near maintenance, then fasting in wk 5 and 6 to determine the ME requirement for maintenance (ME(m)). A 60% concentrate diet was fed at levels to approximate 100, 125, and 150% of assumed ME(m) [low, medium (med), and high, respectively]. Digestibilities and diet ME/GE were not affected by treatment with different amounts of feed offered and subsequent intake near ME(m). Heat energy during fasting (261, 241, and 259 kJ/kg of BW(0.75); SEM = 8.7) and efficiency of ME used for maintenance (71.6, 69.6, and 69.2%; SEM = 2.29) were similar among treatments, although ME(m) differed (P < 0.04) between med and high (365, 344, and 377 kJ/kg of BW(0.75) for low, med, and high, respectively; SEM = 10.3). Tissue gain was less (P < 0.01) for low than for the mean of med and high (MH; -0.6, 23.7, and 29.8 g/d), although clean fiber growth only tended (P < 0.09) to differ between low and MH (5.60, 6.57, and 7.36 g/d for low, med, and high, respectively; SEM = 0.621). Intake of ME was greater (P < 0.01) for MH than for low (6.87, 8.22, and 8.41 MJ/d for low, med, and high, respectively). Total heat energy was less (P < 0.02) for low vs. MH and tended (P < 0.07) to be greater for high than for med (6.03, 6.31, and 6.77 MJ/d); mobilized tissue energy was low but greater (P < 0.02) for low vs. MH (0.16, 0.01, and 0.04 MJ/d for low, med, and high, respectively). Efficiency of ME use for fiber growth was similar among treatments (17.2, 16.3, and 17.7% for low, med, and high, respectively; SEM = 1.61). In conclusion, efficiency of ME use for fiber growth was similar to the NRC recommendation regardless of feeding level, although ME(m) was decreased perhaps because of experimental conditions used. Energy appeared partitioned to fiber growth, but preferential usage was not complete possibly because energy metabolism for tissue accretion reached a plateau with the greatest feeding level.