VARIABILITY OF IMMUNOGLOBULINS (IGG) IN T HE COLOSTRUM OF GOATS AT 1ST MILKING AND INTESTINAL-ABSORPTION IGG BY NEONATAL KIDS

Perinatal studies were done in Brazilian native goats. Appraisal of co lostrum production and IgG levels of colostrum in the first afterbirth milking were carried out. There was a correlation: (1) of IgG levels of colostrum at the first milking with levels of IgG of kids the 25th hour of life, (2) of levels of IgG 25th hour of life with live weight (LW) of the kids at weaning (60 days). Seventeen goats and 25 kids wer e utilized. The goats were milked at 1, 6 and 10 hours after birth. Bl ood collecting in kids was executed at birth (0 h) at 2, 6, 10 and 25 h of life. The colostrum production (g) of first milking (average +/- standard error) was 918.9+/-131.8. LW at birth of kids was not effecte d (P>0.05) by race of sire or LW of the dam. However, male animals wer e heavier (P<0.05) than females. The same may be said with regard to t hose of single birth in relation to those of double birth. IgG absorpt ion was similar in the two degrees of blood studied and reached averag e plasmatic levels of 32.51+/-1.78 g/IgG/l. No relation was observed b etween IgG levels of colostrum of first milking and plasmatic levels o f IgG in kids at the 25th hour of life. Mortality rate of 8% was regis tered between birth and weaning.