• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2012

Congenital $Neospora$ $caninum$ infection was diagnosed in two Saanen goat kids from two distinct herds with a history of abortion and weak newborn goat kids in the Southern region of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The first kid was weak at birth, had difficulty to rise and was unable to nurse. Gross lesions of porencephaly and hydrocephalus ex vacuo were seen. Multifocal necrosis, gliosis and non-supurative encephalitis were observed in the brain. Several parasitic cysts with a thick wall that reacted strongly only with polyclonal antiserum to $Neospora$ $caninum$ were seen in the cerebral cortex, brain stem and cerebellum. The second kid was born from a $Neospora$ $caninum$ seropositive mother that aborted in the last pregnancy. It was born without clinical signs. The diagnosis of neosporosis was based on antibody titer of 1:800 to $N.$ $caninum$ by indirect fluorescence antibody test obtained from blood collected before the goat kid ingested the colostrum and $Neospora$ $caninum$ DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced from placenta. This is the first report of neosporosis in goats in the southeast region of Brazil.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.487-495
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• 2007

The objectives of the present study were to initiate cloning of Korean native goat by somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) and to examine whether unovulated (follicular) oocytes can support the same developmental ability of NT embryos as ovulated (oviductal) oocytes after hCG injection in stimulated cycles of the goat. The in vivo-matured and immature oocytes were collected from the oviducts and follicles of superovulated does, respectively, and the immature oocytes were maturated in vitro. Ear skin fibroblasts derived from a 3-yr-old female Korean native goat were used as the donors of nuclei or karyoplasts. Following fusion, activation and in vitro culture to a 2- to 4-cell stage, 49 in vitro-derived and 105 in vivo-derived embryos were transferred to 6 and 17 recipient does, respectively. One doe and three does of the respective groups were identified as pregnant by ultrasonography on day 30 after embryo transfer. However, only one doe, which had received in vivo-derived embryos, delivered a normal female kid of 1.9 kg on d 149. The cloned kid gained more weight than her age-matched females as much as 87% during the first 4 mo after birth (17.7 vs. $9.4{\pm}0.8$ kg) and reached puberty at 6-mo age a few months earlier than normal female does. The telomere length of the kid, which was similar to that of the donor fibroblast at 2-mo age, decreased 8% between 2- and 7-mo ages. Moreover, at 7-mo age, she had 21% shorter telomere than her age-matched goats. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which a cloned animal born with a normal weight exhibited accelerated growth and development. The unusually rapid growth and development of the cloned goat may have resulted from SCNT-associated epigenetic reprogramming involving telomere shortening.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.428-432
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• 2009

40 goat kid ribcages were held for 7 days in storage conditions ($4^{\circ}C$) and used to determine the effects of three different packaging methods (atmospheric air, vacuum and modified atmosphere package (MAP) 10:70:20 mixture of $N_2:O_2:CO_2$) on meat quality of the chops. L* was affected by the packaging method being lighter than MAP chops. The coordinate a* significantly increased during storage time. For MAP-packed chops and those kept in atmospheric air, b* increased markedly during storage time whereas it remained unaffected throughout storage when in vacuum packages. Final pH values ranged from 5.6 to 5.8 and no effects were found for either storage time or packaging method. WHC means were lowest for the three packaging methods on day 7 of storage and highest on day 1. Storage time increased water loss in vacuum treatments. Trained panel colour acceptability was lower at 3, 5 and 7 days than on day 1 of storage for atmospheric air treatment and vacuum packaging, while for the MAP treatment average values on days 5 and 7 were lower than those observed on days 1 or 3. Trained panel odour was lower for atmospheric air and vacuum packages at 3, 5, and 7 days storage than at 1 day, while no differences were found in trained panel odour acceptability for MAP packages. With reference to consumers, the MAP proposed in the present study is the chosen method for storing goat meat, rather than vacuum or atmospheric air packaging.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1689-1693
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to develop a simplified, efficient, and accurate protocol for sexing goat embryos. Based on the amelogenin gene located on the conservation region of X- and Y- chromosomes, a pair of primers was utilized and the system of PCR was established to amplify a 262 bp fragment from the X- chromosome in female goats, and a 262 bp fragment from X- chromosome and 202 bp fragment from the Y- chromosome in male goats, respectively. The accuracy and specificity of the primers were assessed using DNA template extracted from goat whole blood sample of known sex. 100% (10/10) concordance was obtained by using the PCR assay. Fifty-one biopsied embryos were transferred into 25 recipient goats on the same day that the embryos were collected and sex of the kid was confirmed after parturition. Eighteen kids of predicted sex were born. The biopsied samples from 51 goat embryos were amplified with 100% efficiency and 94.7% accuracy. In conclusion, our results indicated that PCR sexing protocols based on the amelogenin gene is highly reliable and suitable for sex determination of goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.477-484
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• 2002

Ninety pre-puberal (6-7 months) female and 15 pre-puberal male Black Bengal goats were collected on the basis of their phenotypic characteristics from different parts of Bangladesh. Goats were reared under semi-intensive management, in permanent house. The animals were vaccinated against Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR), drenched with anthelmentics and deeped in 0.5% Melathion solution. They were allowed to graze 6-7 h along with supplemental concentrate and green forages. Concentrates were supplied either 200-300 g/d (low level feeding) or quantity that supply NRC (1981) recommended nutrient (high level of feeding). Different physiological, productive and reproductive characteristics of the breed were recorded. At noon (temperature=$95^{\circ}F$ and light intensity=60480 LUX) rectal temperature and respiration rate of adult male and female increased from 100.8 to $104.8^{\circ}F$ and 35 to 115 breath/min, indicated a heat stress situation. Young female attain puberty at an average age and weight of 7.2$\pm$0.18 months and 8.89$\pm$0.33 kg respectively. Mean age and weight at 1st kidding were 13.5$\pm$0.49 months and 15.3$\pm$0.44 kg respectively. It required 1.24-1.68 services per conception with an average gestation length of 146 days. At low level of feeding the postpartum estrus interval was 37$\pm$2.6 days, which reduced (p<0.05) with high feeding level to 21$\pm$6.9 days. Kidding interval also reduced (p<0.05) from 192 d at low feeding level to 177 d at high feeding level. On an average there were two kiddings/doe/year. Average litter sizes in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th parity were 1.29, 1.71, 1.87 and 2.17 respectively. Birth weights of male and female kids were 1.24 and 1.20 kg respectively, which increased (p<0.05) with better feeding. Although kid mortality was affected (p<0.05) by dam's weight at kidding, birth weight of kid, milk yield of dam, parity of kidding, season of birth, but pre-netal dam's nutrition found to be the most important factor. Kid mortality reduced from 35% at low level of feeding to 6.5% at high level of feeding of dam during gestation. Apparently, this was due to high (p<0.05) average daily milk yield (334 vs. 556 g/d) and heavier and stronger kid at birth at high feeding level.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1386-1392
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• 2011

The aim of the present work was to study the effects of a polyherbal supplement on cross bred does, starting from the last month of pregnancy to weaning, on milk yield, kid birth weight and growth rate. Thirty does were divided into three treatments of ten each in individual pens: low level supplementation (LS), high level supplementation (HS) and non-supplemented treatment (NS) as control. Low supplemented goats were given 125 mg/kg BW/d of polyherbal combination; high supplemented goats were given 250 mg/kg BW/d. The study was carried out in 2008. Fifty-nine kids were born from all the experimental animals. There was no difference on milk yield between supplemented groups and control (p>0.05), although polyherbal supplementation had positive effect on litter birth weight and growth rate compared to control. Weaning weights were higher (p<0.001) in LS and HS compared to NS does. In both supplemented treatments compared to control, mortalities and morbidities were also lower in kids born. It is concluded that pre-partum to weaning supplementation increases kids growth rates and weaning weights, as well as reduces kid mortalities, but it doesn't have significant effect on milk production.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.842-849
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• 2007

The purpose of the present study was to produce live offspring from in vitro fertilized goat embryos. Oocytes were collected from abattoir ovaries and kept in oocyte collection medium. Oocytes were washed 4-5 times with maturation medium containing medium-199 with 5 ${\mu}g/ml$ FSH, 100 ${\mu}g/ml$ LH, 1 ${\mu}g/ml$ estradiol-$17{\beta}$ 50 ${\mu}g/ml$ gentamycin, 10% inactivated estrus goat serum, and 3% BSA (fatty acid free). Oocytes were placed in 100 ${\mu}l$ drops of maturation medium containing granulosa cell monolayer and incubated in a 5% $CO_2$ incubator at $38.5^{\circ}C$ for 27 h. For capacitation of spermatozoa fresh semen was processed and mixed in 3 ml fertilization TALP medium containing 50 ${\mu}g/ml$ heparin and kept in the above incubator for 2 h. The capacitated spermatozoa were coincubated with matured oocytes for fertilization. Cleaved embryos were separated and cultured in embryo development medium with oviductal cells and 494 embryos were produced. Recipient goats were synchronized with two injections of 15 mg $PGF_{{2}{\alpha}}$/goat 10 days apart. Eighty early stage embryos were transferred into the uterotubal junction of 14 surrogate mothers using laparoscopy techniques. One recipient delivered twin kids, whereas another two recipients each.delivered a single kid The parentage of these kids was evaluated using highly polymorphic co-dominant microsatellites markers. From the present study, it was concluded that live goat kids can be produced from in vitro matured and fertilized goat embryos, to the best of our knowledge for the first time in India.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2004

Despite higher fecundity, Black Bengal goat generally has lower milk production, which is often insufficient for their multiple kids. However, milk requirement of Black Bengal kids is poorly defined. Present trial was thus designed to determine the requirement and intake of milk of pre-weaned Black Bengal kids in relation to their growth rate age and sex. Thirty, one month old Black Bengal kids of either sex divided into two groups were allocated to two groups, suckling alone (T1) or suckling along with teat-bottle feeding of milk (T2). Ten kids were allocated for the T1 and 20 kids were allocated for the T2. Digestibility of milk was also determined in T2 animals. Average daily consumption of milk, milk energy and milk N were 773 and 722 g, 1,170 and 1,093 kJ/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ and 1,552 and 1,462 mg N/kg $W^{0.75}/d$, respectively. During 9 weeks trial period, male kids had significantly higher live weight (4.32 vs. 4.20 kg; p<0.01) and intake of milk (773 vs. 722 g/d; p<0.05), energy (117 vs. 1,093 kJ/kg $W^{0.75}$/d; p<0.01) and N (1,552 vs.1,462 mg/k $W^{0.75}/d$; p<0.01) than the female. Milk consumption and the corresponding milk energy and milk N intake increased linearly up to 5th week of the trial, which, then decreased quadratically up to 9th week i.e., up to the weaning. Overall milk DM intake during this period was 2.58% (range 1.5-3.0%) of live weight or about 36 g/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ (range 29-45 g/kg $W^{0.75}/d$). Pre-weaned Black Bengal kids of about 4.5 kg weight, growing at the rate of 60 g weight daily requires at least 750 g milk daily. Daily live weight gain, estimated as the regression between the live weights over time, was 60 g ($r^2$=0.99) and 55 g ($r^2$=0.99), respectively, for the male and female kids. Efficiency of milk energy utilization for weight gain ranged from 0.67 to 0.84 (mean 0.81) for the male kid and 0.75 to 0.91 (mean 0.82) for the female kids. Efficiency of milk protein utilization for weight gain ranged from 0.46 to 0.70 (mean 0.61) for the male kid and 0.51 to 0.81 (mean 0.64) for the female kids. Additional teat-bottle feeding of suckling kids had no significant effect on their growth rate (54vs. 57 g/d). Average digestibility of milk DM, OM and N was 98.85, 98.99 and 98.69%, respectively and they were slightly (p>0.05) higher in the male than the female kids. Results suggest that the requirement of energy and protein and their utilization efficiency in Black Bengal kids is not different from that of the other breeds of goat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.435-438
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• 1997

Twelve newborn goat kids born of philippine does (3.5 and 5 years old) were used in this study. Four mother (candidate) doe goats were randomly allocated to each group. The mother does were infected orally with three levels (0, 15,000 and 30,000 larvae) of infective Haemonchus contortus larvae. Before infection all animals were housed in individual pens with concrete floors. They were provided with a uniform management. Estrus of does were synchronized using PGF2 alpha. All the animals were bred naturally by the same buck. Baby goat born of infected mother goats were divided into three groups. $T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$), respectively, from mother treatment groups. Birth weight and growth of goat kids born from H. contortus infected mother goats were determined. Birth weights of kids of $T_1$, $T_2$ and $T_3$ were 1.9, 1.5 and 1.2 kg, respectively. No significant (p > 0.05) differences in birth weight of kids for the 3 treatment groups were found. However, significant (p < 0.05) effects of stomach worm infection and duration of infection on liveweight gain of kids were observed. After second and third week of birth, respectively, the kids of groups 3 and 2 registered lover liveweight gains than the kids in control group. However, no significant (p > 0.05) difference in liveweight gain was found between the kids of infected mother does. Fecal egg counts of the infected mother does showed patent infections which also indicated by postmortem worm counts. However, no worm egg was found in the feces of the test kids.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.9
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• pp.1314-1326
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• 2023

Sheep and goats can efficiently convert low quality forage into high-quality meat which contains specific nutrients and quality traits. Carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat depend upon several factors and one of most effective strategies amongst these is feeding regimens. In this review, the major aspects of feeding regimens affecting growth rate, carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat are thoroughly discussed, with a particular focus on physical-chemical composition, flavor profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Grazing lambs and kids receiving concentrate or under stall-feeding systems had greater average daily gain and carcass yield compared with animals reared on pasture only. However, growth rate was higher in lambs/kids grazing on pastures of improved quality. Moreover, the meat of grazing lambs receiving concentrate had more intense flavor, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and unhealthy FA composition, but comparable color, tenderness, juiciness, and protein content compared to that of lambs grazed on grass only. In contrast, meat of concentrate-fed lambs had more intense color, greater tenderness and juiciness, IMF and protein contents, and lower flavor linked to meat. Additionally, the meat of kids grazed on concentrate supplementation had higher color coordinates, tenderness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, whereas juiciness and flavor protein content were similar. In contrast, kids with concentrate supplementation had superior color coordinates, juiciness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, but lower tenderness and flavor intensity compared to pasture-grazed kids. Thus, indoor-finished or supplemented grazing sheep/goats had higher growth rate and carcass quality, higher IMF content and unhealthy FA composition compared to animals grazed on grass only. Finally, supplementation with concentrate increased flavor intensity in lamb meat, and improved color and tenderness in kid meat, whereas indoor-fed sheep/goats had improved color and juiciness as well as reduced flavor compared to pasture-grazed animals.