Effects of perinatal nutrition on lactational performance, metabolic and hormonal profiles of dairy goats and respective kids

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Abstract

The aim of the present work was to monitor the effect of a high versus a low diet on the metabolic and hormonal profiles of dairy goats and the progeny. Starting from the last month of pregnancy, 14 goats were randomly allocated to two groups: Low Diet (LD) and High Diet (HD) that received a diet that covered 80% and 140% of their energy requirements, respectively. Blood samples were taken from all goats, at −4, −3, −2, −1, 0 (partum), +1, +2, +3, +4, and +5 weeks from delivery. Blood samples were collected from goat kids on the day of birth prior to colostrum feeding (week 0) and then at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks of age. Blood samples were assayed for their content of: urea, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, calcium and inorganic phosphorus, globulin, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA), insulin, free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), leptin and prolactin (PRL). Kids’ live weights (LW) and growth rate were not affected by maternal nutrition. Milk yield was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the HD goats. A significant (P < 0.001) effect of time was noted on plasma glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin and phosphorus concentrations. Concentration of plasma NEFA, BHBA, triglycerides and calcium were significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) higher in the LD goats than those in HD goats. Plasma insulin and PRL levels were higher in the HD goats than those in LD goats (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Plasma leptin level were lower on the day of partum (P < 0.05). Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were higher in the HD kids than those in LD kids (P < 0.01) while plasma NEFA and triglycerides concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in the LD kids than in the HD kids. Plasma leptin concentrations increased (P < 0.001) soon after kids began suckling but its values were not influenced by the dietary treatments. The thyroid hormones increased over time and their values were significantly higher in HD kids than those in LD kids at week 5. Our results showed that perinatal nutrition affects goats’ and kids’ metabolic and hormonal profiles; however this did not have an effect on foetal and kids’ growth. Nutrient restriction during pregnancy shifted nutrient partitioning towards the uterus to sustain foetal growth. This homeorhetic adaptation was continued during early lactation; however, it was not sufficient to sustain milk production.

Introduction

Goats can adapt to different areas where the environment, and consequently the quality and the quantity of pastures vary widely. The adoption of intensive methods of husbandry in goats for higher milk yields (Rubino et al., 1995) is likely to increase the incidence of metabolic diseases. Therefore, under more intensive production systems, it is imperative to pay more attention to animal health and welfare. Estimation of blood biochemical parameters such as hormones, metabolites and proteins are helpful complementary diagnostic tools (Kaneko et al., 1997) and form the basis of metabolic profile tests which help to predict and prevent the occurrence of several metabolic diseases.

Pregnancy and lactation are physiological stages thought to induce metabolic stress (Drackley, 1999). Underfeeding pregnant sheep can induce deleterious effects on foetal and newborn lambs by adversely affecting placental size, foetal growth, deposition of foetal fat reserves for use after birth, maternal udder development and colostrum and milk production (Mellor, 1983, Mellor, 1988). This may be even more important in grazing goats because they cannot meet their energy requirements for late pregnancy especially when parturition is scheduled out-of-season, or in the instance of marginal and hill land goat production. Therefore goats fed pasture or roughage should benefit from being supplemented with a diet of high nutritional level in late pregnancy.

The objective of this study, therefore, was to investigate the effects of perinatal nutrition on lactational performance, metabolic and hormonal profile in dairy goats and in the kids.

Section snippets

Animals, location and experimental protocol

The study was conducted in southern Italy (40°38′N; 15°49′E) at the “Unità di Ricerca per la Zootecnia Estensiva (CRA)” (Bella, Italy) experimental farm located at 360 m above sea level, during the month of October. Fourteen (14) Red Syrian goats homogeneous for age (4–5 years), live weight (LW; 46.5 ± 1.5 kg) and body condition score (BCS; 2.1 ± 0.1, arbitrary units) and the kids were used. This breed is characterized with the yellow colour and it has long and soft hair prevailed by red or brown

Results

Gestation length was similar between the two groups (group LD 150 ± 0.2 days and group HD 150 ± 0.8). Sex of kids, which was balanced between treatment groups and type of birth did not affect hormones or metabolites measured. At birth, kids’ LW were similar between the HD (3.5 ± 0.4 kg) and LD groups (3.2 ± 0.4 kg). This progressively increased (P < 0.001) over time but was not affected by maternal nutrition. On week 5, HD kids weighed 6.7 ± 0.4 kg and LD kids weighed 6 ± 0.4 kg. Similarly, average daily growth

Discussion

Metabolic and endocrine profiles have been utilized to evaluating the metabolic status and identifying pathological conditions such as certain infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies in animals (Celi et al., 1995, Di Trana and Celi, 1997). The present study determined the concentrations and changes in concentrations of selected plasma constituents in dairy goats and progeny in response to maternal dietary level during the last 4 weeks of gestation and the first 5 weeks of lactation.

Acknowledgements

The Authors would like to thank Giovanni Masino for his meaningful contribution made during the trial, Associate Prof Alba Parmegiani and Dr Nadia Govoni for their assistance during the leptin assay and Associate Prof. Attilio Accorsi for his assistance during the PRL assay. This research was supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Scientific Research, project PRIN 2003.

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