Efecto del Palmiste (Elaeis guineensis) Sobre el Comportamiento Productivo de Cabras Lecheras

A field trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of palm kernel cake (PKC) in diets of dairy goats on goat performance, milk yield, kid daily gains and, milk composition. Forty-eight (48) last quarter gestating crossbreed dairy goats in the last quarter of gestation with 54 kg of BW were randomly distributed in eight PKC treatments arranged in 3 blocks in a randomized block design. The treatments were 0, 15, 30, 45% of PKC and two milking frequency (one and twice at day). The dairy ration was formulated (NRC, 1981) to contain 62.93 g of DP and 2.4 Mcal/kg NEL per dairy goat weighing 54 kg and producing milk containing 4.0 % milk fat. The ration consisted in hay grass (Transvala) and grains supplement. Body condition, feed intake, profit, milk production and composition, were measured with respect to the dairy goats and daily gain was registered with respect to the kids. The body condition was not affected by the PKC levels. The PKC treatments did not affect goat feed intake, which was 2.81kg /animal/d and 1.92 kg/animal/d when goats were milked once or twice per day, respectively. The average kid daily gain was 72.57 g/d in those lactated by goats that were milked once per day. Milk production was 18.62 kg per animal and 12.95 kg per animal in goats milked once and twice per day, respectively. The milk of dairy goats milked twice per day had higher milk fat content (4.45 %) than of those milked once per day (3.45 %). With goats milked once per day the highest profit was obtained with 15 % of PKC in the ration, and with goats milked twice per day the highest profit was obtained with 30 % of PKC in the ration.