EFFECT OF MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ON BODY WEIGHT CHANGES AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MILK OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOAT

Abstract

The essence of goat improvement with respect to milk production is to increase the utilization of milk and milk related products by livestock and human populace. There is evidence that on live weight basis, goat is a much more efficient milk producer than some other ruminant species. If we must attain self-sufficiency in dairy production, then there is a need to explore other sources of milk from species like goats. Therefore, in this study the effect of management systems on weight of does and the chemical composition of West African dwarf goat milk was conducted. Goats were reared in three
management systems- namely extensive, semi-intensive and intensive systems. Eighteen West African dwarf does were divided into three treatment groups with six goats per treatment in a Completely Randomized Design. Concentrate diets were formulated as supplement for the goats in the intensive and semi-intensive systems while roughage was fed as a basal diet. The feeding trial lasted 56 days. Ash, total solid and solid-non-fat were positively correlated with protein and lactose. Doe weight (p < 0.05) of 13.98 kg was recorded in semi-intensive system and the lowest (11.00 kg) in extensive system. Lactose, solid-non-fat and total solids were significantly higher under semi-intensive system and significantly(P<0.05) lower under intensive system. Protein was highly significant under intensive and extensive system. The study concluded that semi-intensive management system improved the weight gain of does and the chemical composition of West African dwarf goat milk.