Increasing the crude protein (CP) concentration of dairy concentrates in mixed diets has been found to increase milk yield and forage intake in lactating dairy cows. However relatively little is known about the response of lactating goats to such dietary changes. The purpose of the present experiment was to see if beneficial responses could be established in lactating goats given fixed amounts of concentrates with different protein concentrations and ad libitum hay.

Twenty-seven Saanen goats in their second or later lactation were offered 1.5 kg hay (98 g CP, 393 g acid-detergent fibre, 609 g neutral detergent fibe/kg dry matter (DM), and from 0.15 increasing to 0.45 kg concentrates (152 g CP/kg DM) daily in the 6 weeks before kidding. During the first 2 weeks after kidding, the concentrates were increased to 0.7 kg/day. Results for milk production in week 2 were used for covariance in subsequent calculations. At week 3 of lactation all goats were allocated to one of three groups and were offered hay ad libitum and 1 kg concentrates containing 117 (LP), 152 (MP) or 185 (HP) g CP/kg DM daily to week 15.