Effects of concentrate supplementation on reproductive traits of Co goats and growth performance of their kids under grazing condition

The experiment was conducted in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province of Vietnam, to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation on the reproductive traits of local Co goats and growth performance of their kids. A total of 20 pregnant Co goats in the last 1.5 month of pregnancy were monitored in two reproductive cycles. Goats were randomly divided into two dietary treatments as control (CG), in which animals freely grazed, and experiment (EG), in which concentrates were supplemented at 1.0% and 1.5% BW in the late gestation and lactation periods, respectively. After kidding, kids in each treatment were kept with their mother to access milk for the whole study period. In the CG, the kids have no supplements, and in the EG, the kids of 1 to 3 months of age were supplemented the concentrate at 1.5% BW/day. The results indicated that higher body condition scores and body weights of does after kidding, 1 and 2 months postpartum were in the EG than in the CG. The supplementation of concentrate also reduced the postpartum and kidding intervals; and increased the number of litters per year of does. Furthermore, the supplementation of concentrate improved significantly the weaning weight of kids and financial benefit per doe/per litter. In conclusion, the supplementation of concentrate in late pregnancy period and lactation diets improved reproductive traits of local Co goats and also concentrate supplementation in kids’ diet improved growth performance under grazing condition.