O. Mora et al., THE EFFECT OF THE LENGTH AND SEVERITY OF FEED RESTRICTION ON WEIGHT, CARCASS MEASUREMENTS AND BODY-COMPOSITION OF GOATS, Journal of Agricultural Science, 127, 1996, pp. 549-553
Two experiments were done in Mexico (1992-93) to determine the respons
e of goats to different periods of feed restriction on liveweight, org
an weights and tissue composition. In each, the weight, body condition
and daily dry matter intake (DMI) of two groups of 12 female, adult,
non-lactating, non-pregnant, Nubian crossbred goats were recorded for
7 weeks (stabilization period; SP), to allow the animals to reach and
maintain their liveweight and body condition. At the end of the SP the
animals in Expt 1 (RP1) were feed restricted for 18 weeks and for 36
weeks in Expt 2 (RP2). Animals were divided into three groups receivin
g either 100 (FL1), 80 (FL2) or 60% (FL3) of the levels of DMI previou
sly observed. At the end of each experimental period all animals were
slaughtered, carcass weights were recorded and viscerae were weighed.
A sample of the soft tissues was chemically analysed. There were no si
gnificant changes in body condition in either experiment (P > 0.05). N
one of the feeding levels had an effect on carcass weight or the chemi
cal composition of soft tissues (P > 0.05). Liver weights (as a propor
tion of slaughter weight) were significantly different among goats fed
at different feeding levels in both experiments. The results of this
study show the adaptation capacity of adult goats to medium and long t
erm malnutrition, and the importance of the liver as a source for the
generation of energy and for sustaining protein turnover. This could b
e especially important for goats grazing in arid and semi-arid zones w
here dry periods can last for months and feed availability is therefor
e sometimes limited.