INFLUENCE OF ADDITION SPIRULINA PLATENSIS ALGAE POWDER ON REPRODUCTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF DAIRY ZARAIBI GOATS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Animal Production Research Institute, Sheep and Goats Research Department, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

2 Animal Production Research Institute, By- Products Research Department, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The current work studied the addition of Spirulina platensis powder (SPP) to dairy nanny goat rations on the reproductive and productive performance. Fourteen dairy Zaraibi goats with an average body weight of 36.00 kg at 33.43 months of age were used in this study. The Zaraibi nanny goats were distributed randomly in two groups (n=7 in each). The first group control (G1) was fed concentrate feed mixture (CFM) plus roughage as Egyptian berseem hay (BH) and rice straws (RS) plus orally empty rice paper sack / head /day. While, the second group (G2) was serviced as trial group and nourished previous control ration plus 500 mg of SPP stuffed into rice paper sack given orally/ head / day. Experimental diet was offered to either G1 or G2 twenty-one days pre-breeding season till postnatal to study reproductive performance. After postnatal, similarly eight does in parity rate (n=4 in each) were selected from later G1 and G2 and continued to fed last rations to study changing in udder measurements, suckling milk amount, variable in body weight of does and their kids, milk yield and blood metabolites.The results indicated that litter size and the quaternary rate were lower values in G1 than G2. Moreover, reproductive parameters in G2 have booster (P<0.05) udder formation than G1 during suckling months. The highest (P<0.05) values of suckling milk observed in G2 at all suckling months compared to G1. The highest (P<0.05) suckling milk energy obtained with G2 compared to G1 that may be attributed to difference (P<0.05) percentage values of fat and protein. The growth rate and daily weight gain of does in G2 and their kids achieved greater weight than does in G1 during suckling months. Based on early seven weeks (peak lactation curve) of milk yield, does in G2 showed significantly (P<0.05) higher milk yield through first three weeks, but the lactation curve during another four weeks declines almost similar trend (P>0.05) in milk yield compared to G1. Also, blood biochemical parameters e.g. total protein and glucose in G2 had significantly (P<0.05) higher than G1. However, G1 had greater (P<0.05) in cholesterol, triglycerides, AST and ALT concentration than those does in G2. Intriguingly, there was no significant difference in the concentrations of urea among goats in G1 and G2. Also, the present results revealed that lower feed cost of milk production was 1.45 L.E in G2 compared to G1 group (1.84 L.E). The present study clearly demonstrates that the SPP could be incorporated in diets as an increment of milking production and non-specific resistance of organism.

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