ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2019, Vol. 50 ›› Issue (1): 94-104.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2019.01.012

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Effects of Weaning Age and Dietary Nutrition Levels on Major Nutrients Digestibility and Metabolism of Shaanbei White Cashmere Goats Aged from 4 to 6 Months Old

QU Xingmei, KAN Bowen, LIU Suchen, LI Bibo, ZHANG Enping*   

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
  • Received:2018-06-15 Online:2019-01-23 Published:2019-01-24

Abstract:

This study aimed to investigate the effects of weaning age and dietary nutrition levels on the digestion and metabolism of major nutrients of Shaanbei White Cashmere goats aged from 4 to 6 months old. In the experiment, fifty-four female Shaanbei White Cashmere goats aged 54 days old (average body weight was (10.73±1.03)kg) were selected and randomly assigned to 6 groups, with 3 replicates per group and 3 for each replicate. Goats in group I, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were fed standard diets, and the weaning age was 90, 75 and 60 d, respectively. Goats in group IV, V and VI were all weaned at 60 d, and the energy and protein levels of their diet were 85%, 115% and 130% of the standard diet, respectively. The experiment lasted for 180 days. Three digestion and metabolism trails were conducted at the age of 114-120, 144-150, 174-180 d, respectively. One goat (a total of 18 goats) was randomly selected from each replicate for a 3-phase digestion and metabolism test. Samples of feed, feces and urine were collected for measuring the apparent digestibility of main nutrients and the utilization rate of energy and nitrogen. The results showed that:1)The average daily gain of weaned lambs in the group I, Ⅱ and Ⅲ were 95.97, 104.58 and 108.75 g·d-1, respectively, and the value of group Ⅲ was significantly higher than that of group I (P<0.05). The dry matter intake of goats in the group Ⅱ and Ⅲ was significantly higher than that of group I (P<0.01). 2) The intake energy, digestive energy, metabolic energy, digestible nitrogen, retention nitrogen and the apparent retention rate of nitrogen of 4-6 months old weaned lambs were significantly increased in the group V (P<0.05). 3) The dry matter intake and the average daily gain of 4-6 months old weaned lambs increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of dietary nutrient levels (P<0.05). 4) The dietary nutrition levels significantly affected the digestion and metabolism of DM, EE, NDF, ADF, Ca, P, N and energy (P<0.05). 5) Except for DM, the digestive and metabolic rates of EE, NDF, ADF, Ca, P, N and energy increased with the increasing age. In this study, lambs of Shaanbei White Cashmere goats weaning at 60 d had the best growth performance. As for the overall nutritional balance and the digestion and metabolism levels of 4-6 months old weaned lambs, the optimal dietary energy and protein level is recommended to be 1.15 times higher than that of the current standard diet.

Key words: Shaanbei White Cashmere goats, weaning age, nutrition level, weaned lambs, digestion and metabolism

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