Dairy goat performance with different dietary concentrate levels in late lactation and the dry period

A. L. Goetsch, G. Detweiller, T. Sahlu, R. Puchala, and L. J. Dawson

E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research, Langston University, Langston, OK

Optimal feeding programs for dairy goats in late lactation and in the dry period are not well established. Thus, Alpine does and doelings were used to determine influences of dietary concentrate level in late lactation and the dry period on performance. Concentrate level in late lactation (i.e., 20, 35, 50 and 65%) did not alter milk production by doelings, but milk production by does was lowest for 20% concentrate and greatest for 50%. Body weight in late lactation was affected by concentrate level, but neither body weight nor milk production in the subsequent lactation was altered. Likewise, 65 and 50% concentrate in the dry period with 20 and 35% concentrate in late lactation, respectively, did not influence subsequent lactation body weight or milk production compared with 35 then 50% concentrate in the dry period. With moderate to high quality forage in late lactation and a moderate level of concentrate in the dry period, concentrate levels in late lactation and while dry may not affect subsequent lactation performance regardless of parity. Milk production by doelings in late lactation appears relatively less responsive to dietary concentrate level than that by does.