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The effects of partial suckling on the lactation performance of Chios sheep and Damascus goats and the growth rate of the lambs and kids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. Hadjipanayiotou  and
A. Louca
M. Hadjipanayiotou
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
A. Louca
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Summary

Two trials with 82 and 54 Chios ewes and one with 44 Damascus goats were conducted during 1973–4 to study the effects of partial suckling on lactation performance and the growth rate of the lambs and kids. The treatments studied were: (a) continuous (24 h a day) suckling; (b) partial (8 h a day) suckling and (c) partial with decreasing duration of suckling from 8 h daily to residual suckling, i.e. 20 min after each milking.

No significant differences were found in either the 35-day milk yields (commercial milk yield+milk sucked) of ewes or the 70-day milk yields of goats between animals suckling continuously and those suckling partially. However, the 35-day and 70-day commercial milk yields of ewes and goats on the partial suckling treatments were significantly higher than those of ewes and goats on the continuous suckling treatment. Residual suckling of ewes from 36 to 120 days after lambing resulted in an increase in the total milk yield but not in the milk sold. Significant differences in milk yields were found between ewes nursing one and those nursing two lambs. The corresponding mean values for the 35-day milk yield were 78 and 94 kg and those for the 120-day milk yield 205 and 238 kg.

Up to weaning (35 days for sheep and 70 days for goats) the growth rate of lambs and kids on the partial suckling treatments tended to be poorer than that of those on continuous suckling. After weaning, however, the growth rate of the partially suckled lambs and kids as well as that of the lambs on residual suckling from 36 to 120 days were as good as that of those suckling continuously so that the differences in the final weight were not significant.

It is concluded that partial suckling in sheep and goats is profitable in the early stages of lactation provided that the milk left to the young and the intake of solid feed are sufficient to sustain satisfactory growth.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 87 , Issue 1 , August 1976 , pp. 15 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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References

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