Tropical Animal Health and Production 2011-12-01

The effect of flushing and stimulus of estrogenized does on reproductive performance of anovulatory-range goats.

María Angeles De Santiago-Miramontes, Juan Ramon Luna-Orozco, Cesar A Meza-Herrera, Raymundo Rivas-Muñoz, Evaristo Carrillo, Francisco Gerardo Véliz-Deras, Miguel Mellado

Index: Trop. Anim. Health Prod. 43(8) , 1595-600, (2011)

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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine whether flushing or the stimulus of estrogenized goats is necessary to achieve a high reproductive response in anestrous goats on rangeland. Does were feed-supplemented on rangeland (flushed, n = 20). Other group was exposed to estrogenized does during the mating period (stimulated, n = 20). A third group was both supplemented and stimulated (stimulated-flushed, n = 20) and other group grazed on rangeland only (control, n = 18). More goats in the stimulated and stimulated-flushed groups showed estrus during the first 5 days of joining (45% and 60%, respectively) than the control and flushed groups (11% and 5%, respectively; P < 0.05). Flushing did not improve prolificacy and reduced (P < 0.05) kidding rates (40% and 35% for the flushed and stimulated-flushed groups, respectively) compared to 67% and 55% for the control and stimulated groups, respectively. This experiment demonstrates potential shortcomings of use of flushing in range goats with inadequate nutrition during gestation.