Authors : F. Mirzaei and S. Prasad
Abstract: The aim of the present research was to study the effects of a polyherbal supplement on cross bred does, starting from the last month of pregnancy to weaning on milk yield, kid birth weight and growth rate. A total of 30 does were divided into three treatments of ten each in individual pens: Low level Supplementation (LS), High level Supplementation (HS) and Non-Supplemented treatment (NS) as control. Low supplemented goats were given 125 mg kg-1 BW day-1 of polyherbal combination; high supplemented goats were given 250 mg kg-1 BW day-1. The study was carried out in 2008. About 59 kids were born from all the experimental animals based on treatment wise. There was no difference on milk yield between supplemented groups and control (p>0.05) although, polyherbal supplementation had positive effect on litter birth weight and growth rate compared to control. Weaning weights were higher (p<0.001) in LS and HS compare to NS does. In both supplemented treatments compared to control, mortalities and morbidities were also lower in kids born. It is concluded that pre-partum to weaning supplementation increases kids growth rates and weaning weights as well as reduces kid mortalities but it doesn’t have significant effect on milk production.
F. Mirzaei and S. Prasad, 2011. Influence of Dietary Phytoadditive as Polyherbal Combination on Performance of Does and Respective Litters in Cross Bred Dairy Goats. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 10: 1408-1413.