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A commercial probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium 68 (SF68) was supplemented to the first day colostrum continued with the commercial milk replacer until weaning day (35 days) in newborn goat kids to evaluate its efficacy as a probiotic on the innate immunity and blood biochemical parameters. Blood samples were collected at 2, 12, 24 h after birth, and at day 5 and 7, and thereafter at weekly intervals until the end of the experiment (day 35). Plasma protein and immunoglobulin content, leukocyte count, and leukocyte reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were analyzed. Results suggested that the count of blood leukocytes increased continuously up to day 35, especially in SF68- supplemented group. Plasma protein content peaked at 12-h of age regardless of SF68 supplementation. The abundance of plasma γ-globulins also increased to reach the top at 12-h and goat kids with the SF68 supplementation had higher levels of plasma γ-globulin and albumin. The ROS production of blood leukocytes increased continuously up to day 35, and the increase was more dramatic in goat kids fed with SF68 supplementation. The results suggested that SF68 supplementation in goat kids can benefit innate immunity of goat kids before weaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of the diets enriched nutritionally with whey powder (WP) on the growth and development of weaned Saanen Goat kids was investigated. For the purpose, 24 kids born in March 2017 and weaned after 5 months and reared for 8 weeks in Adnan Menderes University Agricultural Faculty Research and Application Farm were used. The kids were divided into three groups according to the content of the ration. The kids whose beginning weights were recorded were distributed homogeneously to each group. These groups were labeled as the control group (CG) and the experimental groups which were formed by adding 5% (5%WP) and 10% whey powder (10%WP) to the ration by removing the same amount of feed. The following parameters of the experimental kids were controlled: live weight, body condition score (BCS), body length, chest girth, the height at the withers, and some blood serum indices (total protein, cholesterol, glucose and urea). The differences between the initial and final values of the growth performance parameters in the groups with the best improvement according to the results obtained from the experiment were found to be 2.57 kg in body weight and 6.25 cm in body length in 10%WP group and the body condition score was 0.26 points, wither height 6.06 cm, and chest girth 6.75 cm in the 5%WP group. When the groups in which the best results are observed in blood parameters are considered; in the 5% WP group, the difference between the initial and final values were found to be 4.19 mg/dL in glucose and 1.22 g/dL in total protein, while urea 41.06 mg/L and cholesterol were determined to be 58.53 mg/dL in the 10%WP group. In the light of the results obtained, it has been determined that the addition of WP in a certain amount to the ration has a positive effect on the growth and development of the kids. As a result of the study, the addition of 5%WP was recommended in the ration to be given during the kid growing period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: Introducing a system for recording of the productive effect of energy and protein by their transformation into lamb/kids/small ruminant's meat. METHODS: The results were obtained in experiment with a 6 male Kalofer longhaired goat kids, slaughtered immediately at weaning at 90 days of age, without a period of intense fattening after weaning (so-called "milky kids"). The kids were rearing in traditional conditions in the real production system. RESULTS: Clarc of energy distribution - CPT (net energy fodder - gross energy meat) - 0.5871 (58.71%) and Clarc of protein transformation - CPT (protein digestible in the intestine fodder - crude protein meat) - 0.1958 (19.58%) have been calculated. CONCLUSIONS: The Clarc of energy distribution and Clarc of protein transformation are indexes for objective calculation of the energy and nutrient transformation between the preliminary and secondary parts of the eco-technical chain "fodder-edible parts of lambs/kids meat". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infections with the blood sucking parasite, Haemonchus contortus, are of primary concern for small ruminant producers, especially due to the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of copper oxide wire particles alone (COWP; n = 12; 1 g bolus Copasure; Animax Ltd), Cydectin alone (CYD; n = 10; 0.4 mg/kg; Bayer), a combination of COWP + CYD (n = 12) and an untreated control group (CON; n = 11) in reducing fecal egg counts (FEC) in meat goat kids. At weaning (88.4 ± 0.7 d), 45 meat goat kids with FAMACHA scores = 3 and weighing 12.5 ± 0.4 kg were separated into the four treatment groups after accounting for initial FAMACHA eyelid color score, breed (Spanish or Myotonic), and birth type (single or multiple). Feces were collected on d 0 and 14 for determination of FEC. Pooled treatment group feces were also cultured on d 0 and 4 to determine gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) genera. Individual FEC were calculated, and treatment efficacy was determined according to the guidelines established by the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology. FEC were log transformed and analyzed using repeated measures in a mixed model with d 0 FEC as a covariate. Individuals were removed from the study if d 0 FEC was less than 400 eggs/g (n = 3, n = 3, n = 2, and n = 2 for CON, COWP, CYD and COWP + CYD, respectively). There was a mixed population of GIN cultured from pooled fecal samples (averaging 70.3%, 17.7%, and 12.0% for H. contortus, Tricostrongylus spp., and Oesphagostomum spp., respectively). Pre-treatment FEC averaged 1,262 ± 241, 2,794 ± 765, 2,050 ± 378 and 1,375 ± 221 eggs per gram (epg), for the CON, COWP, CYD and CYD+COWP, respectively. There was an effect of treatment on FEC with FEC on day 14 less (P < 0.05) for COWP (497 ± 200 epg), CYD (746 ± 334 epg) and COWP + CYD (559 ± 246 epg) treated kids than CON (1,701 ± 895 epg). CON group FEC increased by 35% while treatment with COWP reduced FEC by 71% (84 - 92% Confidence Interval; CI), compared with 56% (60 - 89% CI) for CYD and 67% (88 - 90% CI) for COWP + CYD. Even though all treatments were more effective than the CON, the effect of COWP + CYD was similar to COWP and CYD when used alone and no additive effect was observed. Under the conditions of this study, COWP, COWP + CYD and CYD were all effective in reducing FEC compared with leaving meat goat kids untreated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to determine the protein profile of pre-weaning kids fed with cow's milk as a substitute for dam’s milk. The materials used were 18 Etawah Descendant (PE) kids born the twin at the age of 5-13 days from 3-4-year-old dams. This experimental design was a completely randomized design with three treatments with six replications per treatment, namely the control (T0) fed 100% goat’s milk, treatment 1 (T1) fed 50% goat’s milk and 50% cow’s milk, treatment 2 (T2) fed 100% cow’s milk. The protein profile serum was analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) method, 12,5% of the resolving gel and 3% of the stacking gel were used. The protein profile of the 5-14 days old PE kids were 19 protein bands with the molecular weight ranging from 15-160 kDa. The kids fed with 100% goat milk (T0) and those substituted by 50% cow's milk (T1), it was produced 19 protein bands with molecular weights ranging from 15 kDa to 155 kDa, while those fed with 100 % cow's milk (T2), it was produced 17 protein bands with molecular weights ranging from 13 kDa to 160 kDa. It can be concluded that the dam's milk substitute using cow's milk at the 50% level does not affect the blood protein profile of goat kids, while the 100% substitute produces the different number and types of protein

This study was conducted in two experiments with the objectives: (1) to evaluate nutrient intake, physiological status, and performance of pre-weaning goat kids fed with milk replacer containing cricket meal, and (2) to evaluate nutrient intake, rumen fermentation characteristics, blood profiles, and production performance of post-weaning etawah crossbred goats fed with cricket meal as a substitution of soybean meal. Twelve pre-weaning goat kids (3.78±0.50 kg BW) were divided into 3 treatments (4 replicates per treatment), i.e., kids fed with goat milk (GM), cow milk (CM), and milk replacer containing cricket meal (MR). In the second experiment, 12 post-weaning goats (12-14 kg BW) were fed with 3 dietary treatments, i.e., control ration (CM-0), ration containing 15% cricket meal (CM-15), and ration containing 30% cricket meal (CM-30). Parameters measured during 2 months observations were nutrient intake, physiological status, fermentation profiles, blood profiles, and performance. Both experiments used a completely randomized design. Results showed that there were no significant differences in physiological status parameters in pre-weaning goat kids fed with GM, CM or MR. The performance of kids fed with GM was significantly higher (120 g/d) than those fed with CM and MR treatments (p

Goats are globally invaluable ruminants that balance food security and environmental impacts, and their commensal microbiome residing in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is associated with animal health and productivity. However, the reference genomes and functional repertoires of GIT microbes in goat kids have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we performed a comprehensive landscape survey of the GIT microbiome of goat kids using metagenomic sequencing and binning, spanning a dense sampling regime covering three gastrointestinal compartments spatially and five developmental ages temporally. We recovered 1002 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (termed the goat kid GIT microbial catalog [GKGMC]), 618 of which were novel. They encode more than 2.3 million nonredundant proteins, and represent a variety of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes and metabolic gene clusters. The GKGMC-enriched microbial taxa, particularly Sodaliphilus, expanded the microbial tree of life in goat kids. Using this GKGMC, we first deciphered the prevalence of fiber-degrading bacteria for carbohydrate decomposition in the rumen and colon, while the ileal microbiota specialized in the uptake and conversion of simple sugars. Moreover, GIT microorganisms were rapidly assembled after birth, and their carbohydrate metabolic adaptation occurred in three phases of progression. Finally, phytobiotics modified the metabolic cascades of the ileal microbiome, underpinned by the enrichment of Sharpea azabuensis and Olsenella spp. implicated in lactate formation and utilization. This GKGMC reference provides novel insights into the early-life microbial developmental dynamics in distinct compartments, and offers expanded resources for GIT microbiota-related research in goat kids., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Society for Microbial Ecology.)

The transition from monogastric to rumination stage is crucial in ruminants’ growth to avoid stressors—weaning and neonatal mortalities. Poor growth of the digestive tract could adversely affect the performance of the animal. Modeling informative growth curves is of great importance for a better understanding of the effective development pattern, in order to optimize feeding management system, and to achieve more production efficiency. However, little is known about the digestive tract growth curves. For this reason, one big goat farm of Laiwu black breed was chosen as a basis of this study. Forty-eight kids belonging to eight-time points (1, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, and 84 d; 6 kids for each) were selected and slaughtered. The body weight, body size indices, rumen pH, and stomach parts were determined and fitted to the polynomial and sigmoidal models. In terms of goodness of fit criteria, the Gompertz model was the best model for body weight, body oblique length, tube, and rumen weight. Moreover, the Logistic model was the best model for carcass weight, body height, and chest circumference. In addition, the Quadratic model showed the best fit for dressing percentage, omasum weight, abomasum weight, and rumen volume. Moreover, the cubic model best fitted the ruminal pH and reticulum percentage. The Weibull model was the best model for the reticulum weight and omasum percentage, while the MMF model was the best model describing the growth of chest depth, rumen percentage, and abomasum percentage. The model parameters, R squared, inflection points, area under curve varied among the different dependent variables. The Pearson correlation showed that the digestive tract development was more correlated with age than body weight, but the other variables were more correlated with body weight than age. The study demonstrated the use of empirical sigmoidal and polynomial models to predict growth rates of the digestive tract at relevant age efficiently.

This study was conducted in two experiments with the objectives: (1) to evaluate nutrient intake, physiological status, and performance of pre-weaning goat kids fed with milk replacer containing cricket meal, and (2) to evaluate nutrient intake, rumen fermentation characteristics, blood profiles, and production performance of post-weaning etawah crossbred goats fed with cricket meal as a substitution of soybean meal. Twelve pre-weaning goat kids (3.78±0.50 kg BW) were divided into 3 treatments (4 replicates per treatment), i.e., kids fed with goat milk (GM), cow milk (CM), and milk replacer containing cricket meal (MR). In the second experiment, 12 post-weaning goats (12-14 kg BW) were fed with 3 dietary treatments, i.e., control ration (CM-0), ration containing 15% cricket meal (CM-15), and ration containing 30% cricket meal (CM-30). Parameters measured during 2 months observations were nutrient intake, physiological status, fermentation profiles, blood profiles, and performance. Both experiments used a completely randomized design. Results showed that there were no significant differences in physiological status parameters in pre-weaning goat kids fed with GM, CM or MR. The performance of kids fed with GM was significantly higher (120 g/d) than those fed with CM and MR treatments (p<0.05). In the second experiment, results showed that fat intake in CM-30 was higher than the other treatments (p<0.05), meanwhile dry matter and nutrient intakes were similar. The average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency, and rumen fermentation profiles were similar in all treatments. It is concluded that cricket meal can be used in milk replacer without any negative effect on health status. CM-30 ration has good palatability without any negative effect on the rumen fermentation profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Kids preferred to lie near heat lamps when they were provided. • Kids were observed lying down and running more when on wood shavings than on metal mesh. • Kids tended to gain more weight when on wood shavings than on metal mesh. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different flooring surfaces and a supplemental heat source (heat lamps) on location preference, behaviour and growth rate of dairy goat kids. Eighty female Saanen kids were enrolled in the study at 3 days of age (SD: 0.9 d) and allocated to one of four treatment pens (n = 4 pens/treatment, 5 goats/pen): 1) wood shavings with two 250 W heat lamps (WS+H), 2) wood shavings without heat lamps (WS), 3) metal mesh with two heat lamps (MM+H) or 4) metal mesh without heat lamps (MM). Kids were reared in treatment pens for 8 days. To assess location preference, pens were divided into equally sized zones and time spent lying or upright in each zone was determined from video recordings observed continuously for 19 h/d on two separate days. Average temperatures in the warm (zones 1 and 2), medium (zones 3 and 4) and cold (zones 5 and 6) zones were 15.0 °C, 11.8 °C, 10.8 °C and 11.7 °C, 11.1 °C, 11.2 °C in pens with and without heat lamps, respectively. Frequency of walking, running, self-grooming and interactions (environment and pen mate) were recorded over the whole pen on the same two observation days. Lying times and bouts were recorded continuously over the 8 days using accelerometers. Milk consumption was recorded daily, and body weight gain was calculated over the trial period on a pen level. Kids housed on wood shavings with heat lamps spent more time lying than in all other treatments (P < 0.001). Kids managed on wood shavings were observed running more often than kids on metal mesh (P = 0.04). Kids preferred to lie in the warm zone when heat lamps were present regardless of flooring type (% of time lying in warm zone: WS+H: 98%, MM+H: 94%; SEM: 7.0%; P < 0.001). Kids on average spent 97% of the time lying in the two end zones (1 and 6) and 3% in the middle zones (2 to 5), irrespective of treatment. Milk consumption was not affected by treatment, however, kids managed on wood shavings tended (P = 0.052) to gain more weight than kids on metal mesh. These results indicate that rearing kids on wood shavings improves welfare and performance, which can be further enhanced by providing an additional heat source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Supplementation of Omega-3 fatty acids Impacted on glucose clearance rate. • Feeding frequency of 2 caused a significant enhancement in visceral fat content. • Fish oil supplementation can enhance insulin sensitivity. Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the potential effects of different fat sources including fish oil (FO; n-3 fatty acids source) and palm oil (PO; C16:0 source) in combination with different feeding frequency (FF) on performance, glucose metabolism and carcass characteristics of Mahabadi goat kids. Twenty eight Mahabadi goat kids were used in a factorial design with 4 treatments including 2 types of fat supplement (calcium salt of FO versus PO) and 2 F F (2 or 4 times a day). The experiment lasted for 90 days. Daily dry matter intake was recorded throughout the experiment and body weight was measured every 21 days. The glucose tolerance test was conducted in day 70 of the experiment on 5 randomly selected goat kids from each treatments. The goat kids were slaughtered at the end of period for measurement of carcass characteristics. Inclusion of FO in diet alongside with feeding frequency of 2 caused a significant enhancement in visceral fat content (P < 0.05). Supplementation of FO in the diet (P < 0.01) and increasing the FF (P < 0.05) significantly increased glucose clearance rate. The results of the current study demonstrate that FO supplementation with FF of 4 times a day can enhance insulin sensitivity and the enhancement in FF can be used to prevent fat accumulation in visceral adipose depots as a consequence of higher insulin sensitivity caused FO supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Photoperiod affects the growth rate in subtropical goat kids. • Artificial long days promotes a high body weight during growth of the goat kids. • Artificial long days increase the concentrations of IGF-1 in goat kids. Abstract To determine whether exposure to artificial long days increases the body weight of subtropical goat kids born in autumn, sixty-four goat kids were distributed in a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement. Experimental groups consisted of two photoperiod treatments (natural or artificial photoperiod, 16 h light: 8 h darkness), and two suckling types (natural or artificial). The mean body weight, recorded at day 27 of age, was higher in goat kids subjected to artificial long days (7.7 ± 0.2 kg) than in those maintained under a natural photoperiod (7.0 ± 0.2 kg; P < 0.05). The mean daily gain was higher in light-treated kids (163 g/d) than in those maintained on a natural photoperiod (141 g/d; P < 0.001). Likewise, the mean blood glucose concentration was higher in goat kids submitted to artificial long days (102.0 ± 1.3 mg/dL) than in those kids maintained on the natural photoperiod (92.5 ± 1.3 mg/dL; P < 0.001). The suckling type had an effect on the plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations (IGF-1) of the kids (P < 0.01), and this effect was more pronounced in goat kids under artificial long days (P < 0.05). The results of the present study show that in subtropical goat kids born during the autumn, exposure to an artificial long-day photoperiod promotes a high body weight during the early phase of growth, independent of whether they are reared or not by their dams. In addition, these results also showed that, depending on suckling type, exposure to artificial long days increase the concentrations of IGF-1 in goat kids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the histopathological effects of alternative feedstuffs on ruminal walls and, subsequently, the impact on growth performance of black goat kids in Jordan. Male goat kids (n = 62, BW = 17.1 ± 2.0 kg, age = 120 ± 5 days) housed in individual pens were randomly assigned to one of seven diets for 84 days. Treatment diets were prepared by partially replacing barley in the control diet (CTL; n = 9) with different levels (10%, 15%, or 20%) of Prosopis juliflora pods (JP; n = 26) or partially replacing barley and soybean meal in the control diet with different levels of P. juliflora pods (10%, 15%, or 20%) plus sesame hulls (20%, 15%, or 10%; PJSH; n = 27). All kids were slaughtered and sections from ruminal walls were examined for vacuolar degeneration, dysplasia, hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, stunting, submucosal inflammation, submucosal oedema, erosions, lymphangiectasia, and ulcers. Dietary treatments had no effects on all studied histopathological changes. The growth rate of kids was negatively correlated (P ≤ .05) with submucosal oedema and inflammation. However, the severity of submucosal oedema and inflammation was not affected by dietary treatments. Alternative feedstuffs had no detrimental histopathological effects on ruminal walls of goat kids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Colostral immunity is crucial for young ruminants, but the individual factors that may affect passive transfer status and its effects on preweaning growth performance have not been widely investigated in goats. The methods to quantify immunoglobulins G can be expensive. Colostrum enzymes, though, pass the intestinal barrier and might be suitable as markers of passive transfer status, as demonstrated in other ruminant species. This study aimed to investigate the effect of sex, litter size, dam parity, and birth body weight on passive transfer status and the relationship between gamma-globulin concentration (GG) and pre-weaning growth performance in Alpine goat kids. The association between serum GG, serum total protein concentration and serum activity of colostrum enzymes including γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was examined for their use as predictors of passive transfer status in neonatal goat kids. Sixty-six Alpine goat kids (39 males, 27 females), born to 28 does at one dairy goat farm during two delivery seasons, were enrolled. Kids nursed their dams in group housing until weaned at 50 days of age. Blood samples were collected 24 h after birth. Body weights (BW) were taken at birth and weaning. Serum enzyme activities and total protein concentration were measured using a clinical biochemical analyser. Serum GG was determined by gel electrophoresis. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism (v. 8.2.1). No significant differences in serum GG between males and females, singlets and twins, multiparous' and primiparous' kids were found. No association was detected between birth BW and GG. Serum GG was strongly and significantly associated with TP (R2 =0.85; p 0.0001) and moderately associated with GGT (R2 =0.47; p 0.0001). No correlation was found with ALP, AST, and LDH. Although partial failure of passive transfer (FPT) was diagnosed in 23% of kids, no effects on morbidity (3%), mortality (0%) and pre-weaning growth performance were observed. Our results confirm that serum total proteins can be used to indirectly estimate immunoglobulin concentration. Contrarily, passive transfer status can be predicted with little success by measuring the activity of serum GGT. It is not advisable to use ALP, AST and LDH as indicators of passive transfer status. Finally, FTP is not necessarily associated with the health and preweaning growth performance of Alpine goat kids reared in non-intensive breeding systems that follow good farming practices. • Sex, litter size, dam parity, birth body weight did not significantly affect passive transfer in our study. • Total serum proteins can be used to indirectly estimate immunoglobulin concentration. • Passive transfer status can be predicted with little success by measuring γ-glutamyltransferase. • Failure of passive transfer is not necessarily associated with health and growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal young stock rearing benefits animal health and welfare and therefore contributes to a more sustainable herd. In order to be able to evaluate the rearing process, producers need insight into their kid rearing results, preferably based on key indicators. Although mortality is considered a useful parameter to assess animal health and welfare, little is known about the prevalence and factors influencing mortality in dairy goat farming. Calculating kid mortality risks may be further challenged by how and when producers record mortality after birth. This study aimed to develop key kid mortality indicators which can support producers in optimising their rearing system. Census data were available from 395 Dutch dairy goat herds from 2016 until and including 2020. Four mortality indicators were defined: mortality risk of neonatal kids, and mortality rates of postnatal, preweaning, and postweaning kids. Mortality percentages were determined for three subgroups of dairy goat herds depending on the quality of available data i.e. accuracy and completeness of data. The quality of mortality data was classified as good in 39 % (n = 153), fair in 49 % (n = 192), or poor in 13 % (n = 50) of the included herds. For each of the three quality groups, recorded kid mortality for all four mortality indicators was higher in herds with accurate animal registration. Kid mortality was significantly different (p 0.001) between all quality groups. Other factors affecting kid mortality levels included herd size as the 25 % largest herds had lower kid mortality (p = 0.005), and a decreasing trend was associated with the age of dairy kids. This study provided insight into kid mortality in Dutch dairy goat herds and showed that it is possible to monitor kid mortality based on routinely collected data. Nevertheless, data quality should be considered when communicating benchmark values and individual results back to farmers. It is therefore recommended that benchmark values are calculated on data from herds with the highest data quality. • Good-quality data on goat kid health and development is essential for evaluating and improving rearing practices. • Key rearing performance indicators are preferably based on routine census data. • A mortality risk or mortality rate of specific rearing stages can support producers identify potential risk periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of dietary supplementation with different levels of protein on fecal egg counts and hematological parameters in goat kids with subclinical nematodosis under semi-intensive condition. Materials and Methods: 20 goat kids (3-5 months old with an average body weight of 8.90 kg) were randomly allocated to four groups: T1, served as a negative control, without receiving concentrate feed, and T2, T3, and T4 that received concentrate feed containing 16, 20, and 24% digestible crude protein, respectively. The experiment was carried out for 60 days. Results: In this study, protein supplementation had a significant (p

The combined effect of farm management practices, transport time, and ageing time on the electrophoretic changes of sarcoplasmic (SPP) and myofibrillar (MFP) protein fractions of goat kids was studied. A total of 64 suckling goat kids were withdrawn from two farms with “high” (GW) and “low” (DW) welfare-friendly management practices, and they were transported for 2 or 6 h immediately before slaughtering. Longissimus lumborum samples were obtained at 3, 8, and 21 days post-mortem, and muscle proteins were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis SDS-PAGE. Both protein extracts displayed significant changes attributable to meat maturation. Managing conditions of kids in DW farms increased the post-mortem susceptibility of muscle proteins. Some MFP of Longissimus lumborum muscle, such as troponin T, as well as 26–30 and 35–37 kDa fractions were influenced significantly by deficient on-farm management, and therefore, these protein fragments might be considered as indicators of low-welfare on-farm management in goat kids.

Nowadays, most of the goat milk production in developed countries is done in intensive indoors production systems. In these systems, procedures such as disbudding are performed routinely. Disbudding is done in young goat kids and is a recognised as a painful procedure. Pain mitigation strategies have been extensively researched, but a method that is effective in mitigating pain as well as being safe and practical has not yet been found. In this paper we used three treatment groups: one control and two groups with pain mitigation strategies for cautery disbudding, one using local anaesthesia (lidocaine) and a second one using local anaesthesia (lidocaine) plus an analgesic (flunixin meglumine). The behaviour of twenty-seven goat kids was recorded for three hours after disbudding. Overall, the goat kids that received both pain mitigation treatments dedicated more time performing active and positive behaviours. Nevertheless, the incidence of behaviours related to pain and discomfort was not consistently reduced. Research is still needed to find a practical and effective pain mitigation strategy for disbudding. A solution to this challenge would improve animal welfare as well as address societal concerns linked to the suffering of farm animals.

Colibacillosis is an economically important disease of goat kids. In the present study, total 126 goat kids up to 3 months of age were screened to find out prevalence of colibacillosis in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. The overall prevalence of colibacillosis in goat kids up to 3 month of age was found to be 17.46 percent (22/126). The occurrence of colibacillosis among 70 diarrhoeic kids was found to be 31.43% (22/70). There was highly significant difference in the prevalence of colibacillosis in goat kids in different age groups (P > 0.05). The prevalence of colibacillosis was found decreasing with the increase of the age in the kids. The prevalence of colibacillosis was significantly higher in female kids than male kids. (P ≤ 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of different levels of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) extract on growth rate, hematology and cell-mediated immune response in Markhoz newborn goat kids. Twenty four goat kids (aged 7±3 days) were randomly allotted to four groups with six replicates. The groups included: control, T1, T2 and T3 groups which received supplemented-milk with 0, 100, 200 and 400mg aqueous rosemary extract per kg of live body weight per day for 42 days. Body weights of kids were measured weekly until the end of the experiment. On day 42, 10 ml blood samples were collected from each kid through the jugular vein. Cell-mediated immune response was assessed through the double skin thickness after intradermal injection of phyto-hematoglutinin (PHA) at day 21 and 42. No significant differences were seen in initial body weight, average daily gain (ADG) and total gain. However, significant differences in globulin (P

Production of high-quality carcass and meat from goat kids may contribute to an increase in goat farming profitability. The aim was to compare carcass and meat quality traits of Saanen goat kids raised under natural (NR) and artificial (AR) rearing systems and slaughtered at 80 days and 120 days of age. The AR kids were separated from their dams immediately after birth and were fed with a commercial milk replacer, while the NR kids suckled their mothers. The rearing type did not affect the average daily gain, slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, empty body weight, commercial dressing percentage, subjective conformation and fatness scores. In parallel with the increase in slaughter age, the slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, empty body weight and subjective carcass conformation score increased. The rearing type had no effect on instrumental meat quality traits, except for meat Lightness (L*) and Hue values. Meat from NR kids had higher L* and Hue values 1 h and 24 h after cutting than those of AR kids. Warner-Bratzler shear force value increased with the slaughter age, but the meat lightness decreased. The ultimate pH was generally high in all groups, ranging between 5.94 and 6.10. The panellists evaluated the meat from NR kids to be more tender and juicy and also gave the highest tenderness scores to the meat obtained from the kids slaughtered at 80 days of age. As a conclusion, the slaughter age may be more determinant than the rearing type in the occurrence of carcass and meat quality characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cryosurgery (liquid nitrogen) or caustic paste debudding were evaluated in goat kids as alternatives to cautery disbudding. • Cryosurgery and caustic paste debudding elevated pain sensitivity relative to cautery disbudding. • Cautery disbudding caused skull injury, whereas the alternative methods did not. • Average daily gains were not affected by disbudding method. Abstract Pain sensitivity and skull/brain injury associated with cautery, cryosurgical and caustic paste disbudding were evaluated in goat kids. Kids (reared for meat; n = 280) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments (n = 70 per treatment): (1) sham-handling (SHAM) or (2) cautery (CAUT), (3) cryosurgical (CRYO) or (4) caustic paste (CASP) disbudding. A pain sensitivity test was carried out 15 min pre-treatment and 1 h post-treatment. Skull/brain injury was assessed at post-mortem examination. Kids with evidence of injury to the skull/brain, as well as a random sample of kids (n = 15 per treatment) without evidence of skull/brain injury, were selected for histological examination of brain tissue. Average daily gains (ADG) were calculated from body weight measurements taken 10 min pre-treatment and then at 2, 7 and 14 days post-treatment as a measure of the potential effects of pain or injury on growth. CASP and CRYO kids displayed higher pain sensitivity post-treatment than CAUT or SHAM kids, suggesting that they experienced more acute pain 1 h post-treatment. One of 70 CAUT kids had a perforated skull, but there was no histological evidence of brain injury in this animal; a further nine CAUT kids exhibited hyperaemia of the skull. The other treatments did not result in injury to the skull/brain. There was no evidence of a difference in ADG across treatments. Caustic paste and cryosurgical disbudding resulted in greater acute pain sensitivity than cautery disbudding; however, cautery disbudding has the potential to cause skull injury if performed incorrectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to assess epiphyseal plate closure time of metacarpus, first and second phalanges, growing amount in the related bones and effect of gender on epiphyseal plate closure time. The study was carried out on 30 yeanlings, 15 males and 15 females. Each month DP radiographs were taken until the epiphyseal plate closures in related bones were completed (24 months). Bone radiographs were measured on negatoscope and values were recorded. At 12th month, average lengths of first phalanges were measured as 36.05 ± 1.57 mm in females and 36.40 ± 1.67 mm in males; the average length of second phalanges was measured as 24.01 ± 1.83 mm and 24.16 ± 1.32 mm. The average metacarpus lengths were measured as 104.00 ± 3.56 mm in females at the 23rd month and 104.85 ± 2.75 mm in males at the 24th month. Epiphyseal plates were open during first 5 months in both males and females; between 5th and 6th months they began to close. Complete closure of the distal epiphyseal plates in females was completed between 20th and 23rd months, and between 21st and 24th months in males. In both genders, the proximal epiphyseal plates of the 1st and 2nd phalanges began to close between 5th and 6th months, and the complete closure occurred between 10th and 12th months. As a result, some determinations were obtained: metacarpal growth occurred distally; nevertheless, growth of 1st and 2nd phalanges occurred from proximally; gender has no effect on the bones; the distal epiphyseal plates of metacarpus were closed between 20th and 23rd months in the females and 21-24th months in males; the proximal epiphyseal plates of the first and second phalanges were closed between the 10th and 12th months in both genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the methane (CH4) reducing potential of a combination of prenatal and/or postnatal treatment with coconut oil medium chain fatty acids (CO MCFA) in goat kids. The hypothesis is that influencing rumen function during early life has more chances for success than in the adult life, related to the resilience of the mature rumen microbiota. Forty-eight pregnant does were split into two experimental groups: treated does (D+) received 40 g/d of CO MCFA in a test compound feed, while control does (D-) received a control compound feed, during the last 3 wk of gestation. Twin kids from 10 does of each group were split up into a treated (K+) and nontreated (K-) group, resulting in four experimental groups: D+K+, D+K-, D-K+, and D-K-. The K+ kids received 1.8 mL/d of CO MCFA from birth until 2-wk postweaning (11 wk). Irrespective of treatment, the experimental rearing conditions resulted in absence of rumen protozoa at all sampling times, assessed by quantitative PCR (qPCR). In vitro incubations with rumen fluid at 4 wk old showed 82% lower CH4 production of inoculum from D+K+ kids compared to D-K-kids (P = 0.01). However, this was accompanied by lower total volatile fatty acids (tVFA) production (P = 0.006) and higher hydrogen accumulation (P = 0.008). QPCR targeting the mcrA and rrs genes confirmed a lower abundance of total methanogens (P < 0.02) and total eubacteria (P = 0.02) in D+K+ kids at 4 wk old. Methanogenic activity, as assessed by mcrA expression by RT-qPCR, was also lower in these kids. However, activity did not always reflect methanogen abundance. At 11 and 28 wk old, prenatal and postnatal effects on in vitro fermentation and rumen microbiota disappeared. Nevertheless, lower milk replacer intake in the first 4 wk resulted in reduced BW in K+ kids, persisting until 28 wk of age. Additionally, differences assigned to postnatal treatment were found in papillae density, width, and length in different areas of the rumen, recorded at 28 wk old. Conclusion: prenatal and postnatal supplementation with CO MCFA reduced in vitro CH4 emissions until 4 wk old by depressing methanogen abundance and activity but at the expense of rumen fermentation and eubacterial abundance. Unfortunately, daily gain of K+ kids was suppressed. Some rumen papillae characteristics differed at 28 wk old due to postnatal treatment which ended at 11 wk old, indicating rumen papillary development can be affected by the early-life nutritional circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Animal & Poultry Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Animal & Poultry Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Neonatal enteritis is an important disease that causes deaths of animals before 3 weeks of age, and results in significant economic losses. Viral agents can predispose the young animals to secondary infections in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in lambs and goat kids younger than 21 days. Although the neonatal diarrhea is common in calves, there is still little knowledge about pathology, pathogenesis and immunohistochemical localization of viral agents that cause neonatal enteritis in lambs and goat kids. In this study, we carried out investigations with the aim of detecting adenovirus, rotavirus, coronavirus and herpes virus in the guts of goat kids and lambs with viral enteritis. Materials, Methods & Results: Adenovirus, rotavirus, coronavirus and herpes virus antisera were applied to paraffinembedded intestinal tissue from neonatal lambs and kids that had died from enteritis. In addition, viral agents in the gut cells were detected and evaluated by electron microscopy. The study material consisted of 15 lambs and 15 goat kids that were presented for diagnosis. Viral agents were detected by immunohistochemically in 20 out of 30 animals. Rotavirus was diagnosed in 10 animals, adenovirus in five, herpes virus in three and coronavirus in two animals; and these results were supported by the electron microscopy. This study showed that viral agents play an important role in neonatal enteritis in lambs and kids. Discussion: Bacteria, viruses and protozoa may have a role in the etiology of neonatal enteritis and identifying the etiological agents is not always possible without laboratory studies. In addition, the immune system of the animal and environmental factors are important factors for to occurrence of the disease. The ages of the animals in present study varied between 1 and 21 days, but susceptibility to infection was most commonly observed between the ages of 1 and 12 days, and the infected animals immediately died after the appearance of clinical symptoms during this period. The most common clinical symptoms were fever, depression, dehydration, tenesmus, abdominal swelling and loss of appetite. Histopathological examinations revealed mild to severe lesions in the gut samples including hyperemia of vessels, submucosal edema, desquamation, erosion and ulcers of the epithelial layer of the gut, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the submucosa. Enlargement of mucus-secreting cells was most commonly observed. These results are common in neonatal enteritis and an agreement with previous studies and classical knowledge about clinical and pathological findings in this study. The agents of neonatal diarrhea most often isolated in calves are rotavirus, coronavirus, Cryptosporidium and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. A diagnosis of viral agents can be made by immunohistochemical examination of tissue fixed in formalin. This study revealed that the most common viral agents in lambs and goat kids neonatal diarrhea was rotavirus. In this study, protozoal and bacterial contamination was also observed. Our current study also showed that coronavirus is not an important etiological factor, compared with other viral causes of diarrhea in small ruminants. However, according to a previous study by our group, its incidence has increased and may be an important viral agent in neonatal enteritis in the future. This study showed that viral etiology was very important to occurring of neonatal diarrhea, practitioners must be taken into consideration when meet this problem. One of the most important prophylactic measurements may be vaccination pregnant sheep or goat for passive immunity of offspring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of energy and protein levels of maternal diets on growth, some blood parameters, health, and performance of baby goat kids at first month of life. On 95 d after successful mating, 28 synchronized singleton pregnant Sistani goats were randomly allocated to four treatments including 1) low protein and low energy (LPLE), 2) high protein and low energy (HPLE), 3) low protein and high energy (LPHE), and 4) high protein and high energy (HPHE) diets. In all treatments, body weight (BW) reduced at 1d and 28 d after party. The birth BW of kids was similar between the four groups but LPLE, LPHE and HPHE had numerically lower birth weight. The kids from nanny goats fed on high protein diets had greater BW and average daily gain (ADG) than those of others on days 7, 14, 21, 28. Plasma triglyceride and total protein were significantly high in HPHE and glucose concentrations were increased in HPLE. Milk production increased in response to prepartum crude protein (CP). The results show that maternal nutrition had a positive effect on weight and biometric traits of kids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a scarcity of information on antibiotic resistance in goats. To understand shedding of resistant Escherichia coli in pastured goats, we collected fecal samples from a mixed age cohort over a one-year period. No antibiotic had been used on the study animals one year prior to and during the study period. Resistant isolates were detected in all age groups and prevalence in goat kids was significantly higher than adults; 43−48% vs. 8−25% respectively. The proportion of resistant isolates was higher when animals were congregated near handling facility than on pasture. Most isolates were resistant to tetracycline (51%) and streptomycin (30%), but also to antibiotics that had never been used on the farm; ampicillin (19%). TetB, bla-TEM, (aadA and strpA/strpB) genes were detected in 70%, 43%, (44% and 24%) of tetracycline, ampicillin, and streptomycin resistant isolates respectively. Resistant isolates also harbored virulent genes and some belonged to D and B2 phylogenetic groups. Thus, pastured goats, despite minimal exposure to antibiotics, are reservoirs of resistant E. coli that may contaminate the environment and food chain and spread resistant genes to pathogenic bacteria and some that are potential animal and human pathogens. Environmental sources may play a role in acquisition of resistant bacteria in pastured goats.

Aim: Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that causes diarrhea, which is typically a short-lasting benign infection.The aimof the present study was to determinate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in lambs and goat kids in Kurdistandistrict, Iran.Materials and Methods: Atotal of 1200 fecal samples were obtained from diarrheic and non-diarrheic lambs and goat kidsaged 1 to 6 months from 48 villages in the Kurdistan province, west of Iran. The samples were tested for the presence ofCryptosporidium spp. oocysts using modified Ziehl–Neelsen staining method.Results: Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were present in 10.24% of lambs and in 18.86% of goat kids. Both diarrhea andCryptosporidium spp. oocysts were observed in 64.37% (56/87) of lambs and in 30.51% (18/59) of goat kids.Cryptosporidium spp. infection rates were significantly higher in diarrheic than in non-diarrheic groups. The highest rate ofinfection was found in an animal aged one month. Furthermore, the prevalence of the infection according to age groups andconsistency of feces was found to be statistically significant.Conclusion: The presence of Cryptosporidium spp. in lambs and goat kids in Kurdistan indicates that this protozoan parasiteshould also be considered in the etiology of lambs and goat kids exhibiting diarrhea.

Behavioural changes associated with cautery disbudding of female Saanen dairy goat kids were assessed. At 4 ± 2 days of age, kids were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: (i) disbudded with a cautery iron (CAUT, n = 5) and (ii) sham handled and not disbudded (SHAM, n = 5). Animals were video recorded 12 h pre- and post-treatment in the home pen. One trained observer recorded the frequency of 11 behaviours: allogrooming, body shaking, ear biting, feeding, head butting, head rubbing, head scratching, head shaking, jumping, running and self-grooming. In addition, total lying duration and number of lying bouts were measured using accelerometers. The mean post-treatment frequencies (corrected for the frequencies pre-treatment) were compared between treatment groups. CAUT and SHAM kids performed the same behaviours before and after treatment, however the frequency of certain behaviours changed in response to disbudding. Behaviours (mean ± SEM) that were significantly different between CAUT and SHAM kids were: head shaking (31.2 ± 3.11 vs. 17.5 ± 1.79; P = 0.03), head scratching (15.8 ± 5.90 vs. 2.2 ± 1.11; P = 0.04), head rubbing (4.2 ± 0.77 vs. 0.8 ± 0.27; P = 0.02) and body shaking (6.1 ± 0.36 vs. 8.8 ± 0.49; P = 0.02). Self-grooming was performed at much higher frequencies in CAUT than SHAM kids, however due to a large variation between individuals, this was not significantly different between treatments. There was no evidence of a difference in lying duration or number of lying bouts between treatments ( P ≥ 0.75). Allogrooming, ear biting, feeding, head butting, jumping, running, and self-grooming did not vary significantly across treatments ( P ≥ 0.06). Changes in the frequency of head shaking, head scratching, head rubbing and body shaking may reflect pain associated with cautery disbudding in goat kids and could be used to assess pain mitigation strategies in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) prevents oxidative damage and stimulates the immune system. Currently, there are no data available evaluating the Se-induced antigenic response to Mannheimia haemolytica and oxidative stress in goat kids. Twenty-one 6-month-old male Alpine Goat kids (22.9 kg) were immunized against M. haemolytica and divided into 3 groups: Basal diet with no additional Se (CG); Se injected subcutaneously at 0.25 mg Se/kg live weight (LW) (SeSG); and Se administered as intraruminal bolus at 0.46 mg Se/kg LW (SeBG). Blood samples were taken from the animals in all groups at 0, 14, 28, 42 and 56 days post-dosing. Erythrocyte Se levels doubled in SeSG during days 14–28 post-dosing (130.6 ng/g Se) as compared to CG. During days 28–42 post-dosing, Se levels decreased (P < 0.05) in SeSG (106.9 ng/g Se) vs. CG and SeBG (86.2 ng/g Se and 81.7 ng/g Se, respectively). Glutathione (GSH) levels decreased in days 0–28 post-dosing (3.7E–4 nmols/mg of total protein) and then, remained stable up to day 56 (5.6E–4 nmols/mg of total protein). Catalase levels in the SeBG and SeSG (79.9 U) were higher (P < 0.05) than in the CG (56.3 U) by day 14 post-dosing. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels on day 14 post-dosing increased 7-fold in the SeBG (1.28E–3 ng/mg of total protein). IgG levels increased in the groups treated with Se during days 28–42 post-dosing (1.4 nM) vs. the CG (0.10 nM) (P < 0.05). Treatment with Se improved the immunological response to M. haemolytica . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the developmental changes of plasma acute phase proteins concentrations in healthy Saanen goat kids during neonatal period were investigated. Blood samples were collected from eleven goat kids at 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age. Serum Amyloid A concentrations were higher during first two weeks and significantly decreased at days 21 and 28. There were no statistically differences in the mean haptoglobin concentrations throughout the study. Ceruloplasmin concentrations were lower during first week of life and significantly increased at days 14 and 28. Fibrinogen concentrations were only significantly high at day 28 compared to day 1. Concentrations of Acid Soluble Glycoprotein were higher during first three days and significantly decreased at days 7, 14, 21 and 28. Alterations of these acute phase proteins could be related with birth process and stress and/or factors in colostrum. As a result, the time related changes in acute phase protein levels in Saanen goat kids suggested that these proteins might play an important role in defense and physiological adaptation mechanisms during neonatal period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunostimulants are susbstances that stimuli the response of effector cells to activate the immune response such as antigen uptake, cytokine release or antibody response. These substances can increase resistence to infection by different types of microorganisms, reducing dependence of antibiotics used in livestock animals. Recent reports have demonstrated the positive effect of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) to control animal diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the non-specific immunostimulant P. acnes on immunological functions and growth performance in goat kids. Twenty five goat kids served as control group (A) and another 25 animals received P. acnes being the experimental group (B). Kids were challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to assess humoral immunity. To assess in vivo cell immunity, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) test with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was used, clinical signs and body weight were recorded each week until 9 weeks of age when the experiment ended. Blood samples were obtained to analyze serum proteins fractions and anti-OVA specific antibodies. No clinical signs of disease and no differences (p>0.05) on body weight between groups were recorded (7.32±0.81 kg in group A, 7.13±0.65 kg in group B). Goat kids from group B had more total protein (59.8±5g/l) and albumin levels (32.8±3.3g/l) than goat kids from group A (56.6±5.7 g/l, 29.6±3.9 g/l respectively) (p

This study was conducted in the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture, Ruminant Research Station, west of Baghdad. It included 447 goats born of both sexes belonging to local, Shami and their crosses. The body dimensions of kids at birth and the dam's weight and age at birth, as well as the dependence of weaning weight on the birth weight of the kids by the use of simple linear regression equations. The results presented that coefficient of regression of most studied dimensions on the traits of maternal weight at birth and weight of the kid at birth has significant effect, except the regression of the body length at birth on both the maternal weight at birth and the kids weight at birth, which was not significant, The results showed the possibility of dependence on the studied maternal characteristics and kids birth weight to predict the dimensions of the goat kids body at birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embora os caprinos não estejam, na maioria das vezes, associados à produção intensiva, esta prática tem sido cada vez mais comum. Com a intensificação da produção tornou-se importante o desenvolvimento de ambientes controlados, de modo a optimizar os recursos e diminuir os custos. Os objectivos deste trabalho foram monitorizar e controlar a qualidade do ar interior de uma sala de aleitamento artificial para cabritos. Foram estudadas a temperatura, humidade relativa e as concentrações de dióxido de carbono e de amoníaco. Foram determinados os caudais de ventilação e a circulação do ar na sala. Os valores de temperatura, humidade relativa, dióxido de carbono e amoníaco encontravam-se dentro dos níveis recomendados. Os caudais de ventilação revelaram-se suficientes para o controlo do ambiente.Although goats are not, in most cases, associated with intensive production, this practice has been increasingly common. With the intensification of production it has become important to develop a controlled environment to optimize resources and reduce costs. The objective of this study was to monitor and control air quality inside a room for artificial feeding of goat kids. We studied the temperature, humidity and concentrations of carbon dioxide and ammonia. Rates of ventilation and air circulation in the room were determined. The values of temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide and ammonia were within the recommended levels. The ventilation flow was sufficient to control the air quality.

This study determined the convulsant plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters following cornual nerve block and compared the results to recommend a safe dose of lidocaine hydrochloride for goat kids. The plasma concentrations of lidocaine and monoethylglycinexylidide (MGX) were quantified using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A total dose of 7 mg/kg body weight (BW) was tolerated and should therefore be safe for local and regional anesthesia in goat kids. The mean plasma concentration and mean total dose that produced convulsions in goat kids were 13.59 ± 2.34 µg/mL and 12.31 ± 1.42 mg/kg BW (mean ± S.D.), respectively. The absorption of lidocaine following subcutaneous administration was rapid with Cmax and Tmax of 2.12 ± 0.81 µg/mL and 0.33 ± 0.11 h, respectively. The elimination half-lives (t½λz) of lidocaine hydrochloride and MGX were 1.71 ± 0.51 h and 3.19 ± 1.21 h, respectively. Injection of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride (0.5 mL/site) was safe and effective in blocking the nerves supplying horn buds in goat kids.

A study was conducted in goat kids to investigate the effect of feeding solvent extracted karanj cake (SKC) and alkali processed solvent extracted karanj cake (AKC) based diets on the sero-biochemical diagnostic parameters, i.e., serum enzymes, to assess health status and dry matter intake. Twenty male goat kids of uniform age were submitted to one of the five diets containing two different levels of either SKC or AKC for 17 weeks in a completely randomized design. The T1 group was offered groundnut cake (GNC) as a sole source of nitrogen whereas T2 and T3 group were offered SKC @ 8.09% and 16.18% of concentrate mixtures, respectively to replace 25% and 50% of GNC nitrogen. Similarly T4 and T5 were fed AKC @ 8.09% and 16.18% of concentrate mixtures, respectively to replace the 25% and 50% of GNC nitrogen. No adverse effect of either SKC or AKC was observed on serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme. No significant effect of either SKC or AKC on the dry matter intake was observed in goat kids raised on concentrate mixtures containing karanj seed cakes. Therefore, the results indicates that long term supplementation of SKC or AKC up to 25% replacement of conventional nitrogen source have no adverse effect on health as revealed by dry matter intake and sero-biochemical enzymes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]