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Productive and Reproductive Performance of Saanen Goat at Az-zahra Farm of Sandakan in Malaysia

MAMY Khandoker*
Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh

N Afini
Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90509 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

A Azwan
Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 90509 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

An experiment was conducted at AZ-Zahra Farm, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia to investigate the productive and reproductive performance of Saanen dairy goat. Body weight at different ages were collected once while birth weight was collected when does gave birth. On the other hand, milk production of each individual per day was received continuously for three months. The data on reproductive parameters such as length of estrus cycle, duration of estrus period, age at puberty, gestation length, age at first kidding, litter size, birth weight and kid mortality were noted. Descriptive statistics such as number, percentage, mean, standard deviation were performed. T-test was also conducted to know the statistical difference between the groups. Result demonstrated that body weight increases significantly (p<0.01) with the advancement of the age. The highest daily milk yield was found in 2-3 years of age. Dam with multiple kids produced more milk than dam with single kid. Estrus cycle of Saanen goats was found 21 days, the average estrus period duration was 2.75 days, age at puberty was 8.33 months, first kidding age was 14.2 months and gestation period was 150 days on an average. With the increase of the age of dam litter size increased. Meanwhile average birth weight increased as age of dam increased from 2.85 kg in 1 year to 3.26 kg in 3 years. Male kids born heavier than females (3.23±0.62 vs. 2.75±0.58 kg) and single kids were heavier than twin kids (3.07±0.66 kgvs2.70±0.28 kg). Low mortality rate of kids was recorded in this study (6.4%). It can be concluded that the overall productive and reproductive performances of Saanen goat at AZ-Zahra farm were within the acceptable level and the variation recorded in different parameters is very much usual.

Keywords: Dairy goat, Body weight, Milk yield, Reproductive performance

Location: AZ-Zahra Farm which is situated at village Sebait Padas Street, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Goat

Objectives:

The objective of this study is to investigate the productive and reproductive parameters of Saanen goat under village system in Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia.

Methodology:

The study was conducted at AZ-Zahra Farm which is situated at village Sebait Padas Street, Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. AZ-Zahra farm is located in Sandakan district at 50 58’N and 118001’E. Sandakan is on Sabah’s east coast and has a tropical rainforest climate without dry and cold season. Malaysia experiences climate typical of the moist seasonal tropics, with an average annual temperature of 27⁰C and average annual precipitation of 2849 mm per year (Walsh et al., 2011). Generally there are two distinct seasons in Sabah: the dry and the rainy/wet season. The wetter period occurs during the North East Monsoon from October to February and the drier season during the South West Monsoon from March to September but often there is no sharp division between two seasons. The main economic activities in Sandakan district are crop and livestock production. The main crop is the oil palm and livestock species kept in this area includes dairy and indigenous Katjang goat, cattle, pigs, chickens and ducks. AZ-Zahra Farm raised goat under intensive husbandry system and received full cares by the workers. In this farm they have about 100 Saanen goats and also there have few other breeds like Alpine and Toggenburg. Total of 80 females and 25 males of Saanen goats were randomly chosen for this study. The selection was mostly based on the basis of body structure and conformation. The recording system of this farm is very poor and not practicing any marking of the goat. As a result before starting the work, all the goats were individually ear tagged. The age of the goat was determined mostly by dentition and in some cases from the record. The goats in this farm were managed under intensive husbandry system and usually they were fed with concentrate mixture and palm leaves. The concentrate mixture formulated with brans and soybean husk. Throughout this study the nutrition of the goat remained almost uniform. Data collection The data on productive and reproductive parameters of individual goat were recorded from June 2016 to November 2016. Productive parameters Two types of productive parameters such as body weight and milk production were taken. Body weight was taken during early morning in empty stomach by using the weighing scale. On the other hand, the information of milk production (ml) of each goat was collected every day for three months started from August until October 2016. Milking was performed at 7.00 AM by hand milking. The does with kids were separated for a night before milking in the next morning and during milking, initially the kids were allowed a short period for sucking to initiate milking. The kid were separated from their dams usually at 4.00 PM and usually milking started at 7.00 AM on the next day to obtain the daily milk yield. Reproductive parameters Reproductive parameters such as length of estrous cycle (days), duration of estrus period (days), age at puberty (days), birth weight of kids (kg), gestation length (days), age at first kidding (days), litter size (number) were taken in this study. Moreover, kid mortality rate (%) was taken in considered to monitor the herd health status of the farm. Length of estrous cycle Estrous cycle was calculated as the period elapsed between two successive estrus. Repeat heat in the successive cycle due to missing of conceive was recorded and the days between two cycles considered as the length of estrous cycle.
Duration of estrous period It is the standing heat for the does and most important time to allow them to mate with buck or performing artificial insemination (AI). In does it was monitored by the activities of mounting, frequent switching of tail, bleating, reddened vulva, vaginal discharge (which causes the tail hairs to stick together), and occasional “riding” by other does. These sorts of activities were monitored closely and recorded as the sign of standing heat in Saanen does during estrus in the present study. Age at puberty Age at puberty is the time when the female goat showing first sign of heat in her life. Does typically reach puberty at about six months of age, although there are some will become fertile sooner. This parameter was evaluated by paying close attention onto the female behavioural towards mating. If the female is mounted then getting pregnant after a few month, so that the age at first estrus considered as the age at puberty. Birth weight of kids The birth weights of kids were taken in kilogram within 6 hours after birth. Gestation length The length of gestation was identified by monitoring the doe from the first successful service until the day doe deliver the kid (s). Age at first kidding Age at first kidding (months) is the age of the doe at giving birth their 1st kid (s). Litter size The data of litter size was obtained by calculating the number of kid (s) per birth. Usually the litter size are single, twin or triplets. Pre-weaning kid mortality To know the overall herd health status of the farm, kid mortality rate was also calculated in this study. The number of kid from viable pregnancy that unable to survive was observed in each birth and the following days after birth and the mortality rate was calculated by using following formula. Statistical analyses The data collected for this study were analysed in accordance with the research objectives. Most of the cases descriptive statistics such as number, percentage distribution, mean, standard deviation were calculated by using Excel 2013. Student’s t test was also performed by using Excel 2013 to know the statistical difference between the groups.

Source of Information: Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2018. 47 (1):1-12

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Results of this study reveals that the overall productive and reproductive performance of Saanen goats at AZ-Zahra farm in Sandakan Sabah, Malaysia are within the acceptable level and the variation recorded in different parameters is very much practical.

Knowledge Management: Journal