• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.275-280
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• 1992

To investigate the age at puberty and the seasonal breeding in Korean native goats, progesterone concentrations were measured in blood. Blood samples were collected from 8 goats at 10 day intervals from 2 months of age until the first estrus after birth, and then every 5 days for a further estrous cycle and the seasonal breeding. The mean age and weight at puberty were $195{\pm}57$ days($mean{\pm}S.D.$, range : 107~260 days) and $11.1{\pm}0.9kg$(range : 9.8~12.0kg), respectively. The mean age at first pregnancy after birth was $241{\pm}109$ days(range : 107~273 days). The estrus was observed 47.6% from October to December, and was highest in fall(38.1%) and lowest in spring and summer(14.3%). However, the estrus was observed every season. About 67% of total conception occurred form October to January. The parturition occurred 41.7% in spring, 25.0% in summer and winter, and 8.3% in fall, respectively. These results suggest that Korean native goats do not have a breeding season, but the reproductive activity is influenced by the season.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1436-1444
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to determine the highest inclusion of licury (Syagrus coronate) cake in the diet of growing Boer goats without adverse effects on intake and digestibility and to determine its effects on ingestive behavior and physiological responses. Twenty entire, one year old 3/4 Boer goats, 18.1 kg (DS = 2.2) average body weight (BW), were allocated to dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each animal was confined in a $1.0\;m^2$ pen with a suspended floor and given ad libitum access to clean, fresh water. Diets were formulated to meet NRC (2007) requirements and the ingredients were: 50% of Tifton-85 (Cynodon sp.) hay, corn meal, soybean meal, mineral and vitamin premix, and licury cake. The treatments were: i) no addition of licury cake to the diet, ii) 15% (DM basis) addition of licury cake, iii) 30% licury cake and, iv) 45% licury cake. The experiment lasted for 17 days; the first 10 days were used to adapt the animals to the diets and facilities. The inclusion of licury cake increased the fiber concentration of the diets; however, there was no effect on either dry matter (DM) or organic matter (OM) intake. There was a linear increase (p<0.05) in the EE content of the diet as the addition of licury cake increased; however, EE intake did not differ (p>0.05) between treatments. The digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) decreased with increasing inclusion of licury cake, as did NFC intake. The efficiency of ingestion of DM and NDF presented a negative quadratic effect with the inclusion of licury cake. Results from this study indicate that licury cake can be fed to goats at up to 45% of the diet without adverse effects on either intake or digestibility.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1462-1468
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• 2010

The effects of vitamin C and vitamin E with selenium on acid-base balance and some stress hormones were evaluated during heat stress in goats. Goats, 1.5 years of age, were divided into control, heat stress and antioxidant treatment groups 1, 2 and 3. Except for the control, all groups were exposed to a temperature of $40{\pm}2^{\circ}C$ with a relative humidity of 30% for 5 h/d for 21 days in a psychrometric chamber. Rectal temperature and respiratory rates were recorded daily post exposure. Blood samples were collected on every 3rd day for estimation of plasma vitamins C and E, total antioxidant activity and hormones, and separate blood samples were taken to estimate acid-base status. The rectal temperature and respiratory rates were increased (p<0.05) in the heat stress group only. Except for pH and $pO_2$, which were increased significantly (p<0.05) other parameters of acid-base balance such as $pCO_2$, $HCO_3^-$, $TCO_2$, BEb, BEcef, PCV and Hb were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the heat stress group. An improvement in acid-base status was noted in the antioxidant supplemented groups. Prolactin and cortisol levels were significantly (p<0.05) higher and free T3 and T4 levels were significantly (p<0.05) lower in the heat stress group. Levels of prolactin and cortisol were decreased and free T3 and T4 were increased in antioxidant treatment groups. Different levels of antioxidant supplementation resulted in similar protection against heat stress.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.785-790
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• 2001

Twelve indigenous male goats, comprising of six intact and six castrated (2.5-3 years; $24.4{\pm}0.62kg$) were assigned evenly into two dietary treatments, viz. $I_0$ and $I_{100}$ and were used to study the effect of supplementation of iodine on the nutrient utilization when their diet contained Leucaena leaf meal. They were offered a conventional concentrate mixture along with Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal, the latter to meet 50% of their crude protein (CP) requirements, and supplemented with either no iodine ($I_0$) or 0.1 mg of iodine ($I_{100}$)/day/animal as potassium iodide for a period of 105 days. Wheat straw given ad libitum was the sole source of roughage. A metabolism trial of 8 days duration was conducted after 90 days of experimental feeding. It was observed that the overall dry matter (DM) intake during experimental period was higher (p<0.05) in $I_{100}$ group as compared to $I_0$ group (508.6 vs. $443.7g\;d^{-1}$). The intake of CP, digestible crude protein (DCP) and metabolisable energy (ME), although non-significant, tended to be higher in the iodine supplemented group, $I_{100}$. Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter (OM), CP, ether extract and crude fiber (CF) did not differ (p>0.05) between the treatments. However, nitrogen retention was higher (p<0.01) in $I_{100}$ than $I_0$ with the values being 2.63 and $1.70g\;d^{-1}$, respectively. No difference (p>0.05) was evident in the retention of calcium and phosphorus between the two groups. The castrated animal exhibited lower DM intake concurrent with higher digestibility of DM and crude fibre (p<0.05), and organic matter and total carbohydrates (p<0.01) when compared to intact ones. It was concluded that supplementation of iodine to leucaena based ration may help in improving the DM intake and nitrogen utilization by goats.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.163-169
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• 1995

This study was conducted 1) to compare the nutrient content and mineral composition of the Philoppine indigenous sheep and goats diets when grazed in common pasture during rainy season, 2) to determine the influence of sampling methods on nutrient content and mineral composition of upland (UP) and lowland (LP) native pastures, and 3) to compare these two pasture types in terms of nutrient and mineral composition. Experiment 1 used sis esophageally fistulated animals, three each for sheep and goats. Weekly extrusa collection was done for a period of three months. Experiment 2 was conducted in UP and LP; these were sampled thrice by three methods, plucking, clipping and use of three esophageally fistulated sheep. Results of Experiment 1 indicated that the diets of sheep were greater in crude protein(CP; p < 0.01) and ether extract(EE; p < 0.05) but lower in crude fiber (CF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL; p < 0.05) than that of goat diets. All other nutrient fractions including mineral composition were not significantly different from each other. Significant findings of Experiment 2 were: CP content of UP was in the order fistulated > plucked > clipped (p < 0.05); CP content of LP was greater (p <0 .05) in fistulated and plucked samples; and ash content was greater (p < 0.05) in fistulated samples of both pastures. The CP of UP was different (p < 0.05) from each sampling method but the CP of LP and ADL of both pastures were greater (p < 0.05) in clipped samples. Most minerals either macro or microminerals were greater in fistulated samples of both pastures. Pooled data of the two pastures showed that LP had better nutrient characteristics and greater mineral composition. Based from this study, there were few differences between the diets of indigenous sheep and goats when grazed in common pasture. Also, sampling methods influenced the nutrient composition of indigenous sheep diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.1536-1541
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• 2000

The present study was carried out to measure changes of feed intake and thirst level caused by water deprivation in goats fed on dry feed and to elucidate the relationship between those two parameters. Water deprivation significantly (p<0.01) decreased cumulative feed intake and rate of eating at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min, respectively, after feed presentation. Cumulative feed intake, after completion of 2 h feeding, was reduced by about 20, 21 and 64 % due to water deprivation during feeding for 2 h (WD2), for 22 h (WD22) and for 46 h (WD46), respectively, compared to free access to water (FAW). Compared to the FAW, WD2, WD22 and WD46 increased thirst level by about 5, 5 and 9 times, respectively. Mean thirst level (X, g/30 min) was negatively correlated with cumulative feed intake (Y, g DM) after completion of 2h feeding (Y=1302-0.2 X, $r^2=0.97$, p<0.05). Water deprivation depressed plasma volume and there was a significant positive regression between plasma volume (X, ml) and cumulative feed intake (Y, g DM) after completion of 2h feeding (Y=-1003+0.6 X, $r^2=0.99$, p<0.01). Mean plasma osmolality (X, mOsmol/l) correlated significantly and negatively with cumulative feed intake (Y, g DM) after completion of 2h feeding (Y=27004-84.9 X, $r^2=0.95$, p<0.05). In conclusion, a decrease of feed intake during water deprivation is mainly due to an increase of thirst level quantitatively, and the act of feeding itself induces thirst more than the length of water-deprivation periods in goats fed on dry feeds. The present findings suggest that plasma osmolality and plasma volume which affect thirst level are involved in the decrease of feed intake in water-deprived goats.

• 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.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-193
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• 2012

This experiment was conducted to study variations of serum testosterone and seminal characteristics of Markhoz male goats. Blood samples were obtained via jugular vein, and semen was collected by using an artificial vagina from 14 fertile male goats (2-3 years of age), at 15-day intervals starting on 15 July and ending on 30 October 2010 (during breeding and non-breeding season). Semen volume, total sperm (volume${\times}$concentration), live sperm (%), abnormal sperm (%) and semen pH were significantly superior during the late summer and early autumn (breeding season). Variation of sperm density, motility and progressive motility was not significant during the sampling period. The results presented show that the lowest and highest levels of lactate dehydrogenase in the seminal plasma were recorded in late October (2.82 U/ml) and in late August (4.81 U/ml), respectively. Moreover, the study indicated that the serum testosterone concentration was higher during late summer and early autumn (p<0.05) than at any other of sampling period. There were negative correlations between volume and sperm density (-0.135, p<0.05), and positive correlations between volume and percentage live sperm (0.224) and percentage progressive motility (0.194, p<0.01). Sperm density was correlated with live sperm (0.200, p<0.05) and progressive motility (0.202, p<0.01). The correlation between live sperm and progressive motility was 0.554 (p<0.01). Furthermore, the results in this study indicated a significant positive correlation between live sperm and LDH (0.450) and a negative correlation between sperm density and LDH concentration (-0.272) (p<0.01). Significant, but positive correlations were found between sperm motility and LDH (0.542) and testosterone concentration (0.522), respectively (p<0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the best obtained semen was collected in late summer (during decreasing photoperiod) and early autumn (September and October). This also coincides with the natural breeding season of Markhoz goats in Iran.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1341-1347
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to investigate polymorphisms of keratin-associated protein 8.1 (KAP8.1) gene and its effect on fibre traits of Chinese Inner Mongolian Cashmere goats. The fibre traits data investigated were cashmere fibre diameter, combed cashmere weight, cashmere fibre length and guard hair length. Five hundred and forty animals were used to detect polymorphisms in the complete coding sequence of the hircine KAP8.1 gene by means of PCR-SSCP. The results identified six genotypes, AA, BB, CC, AB, AC and BC, coded for by three different alleles A, B and C. Two SNPs in the coding region were confirmed by sequencing, which were T113G and G116C respectively. The relationships between the genotypes and cashmere fibre diameter, combed cashmere weight, cashmere fibre length and guard hair length were analyzed. There were significant differences between the associations of the different genotypes with cashmere weight (p<0.01), cashmere length (p<0.05) and hair length (p<0.01). Cashmere fibre diameter was the only trait that was not associated with the genotypes. The animals of genotype AB and BB had the higher cashmere weight compared with the genotype AA. By further analysis, it appeared that the KAP8.1 genotype effects on fibre traits may be due to a mutation at the 113 locus. These results suggested that polymorphisms in the hircine KAP8.1 gene might be a potential molecular marker for cashmere weight in Cashmere goats.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.309-316
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• 2006

This is a case report on the occurrence of caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) disease among dairy goats in a local farm located in Yeongdong-gun, Chungbuk. Previously, it was reported that the farm experienced intermittent deaths numbering 15 of the 97 goats raised for 5 months. Most of the goats less than 6 months of age were suffering from ataxia and posterior paresis, body tremor and abnormal head posterior. Affected animals frequently had stunted growth and had a rough coat. Goats more than 6 months of age were affected with an insidious, chronic arthritis characterized by articular swelling ('big knee') of the carpal, hock, and stifle joints. Necropsy revealed severely swollen mesenteric lymph nodes, under- flow of 2-3ml synovial fluid in the articular space and fibrous proliferation of synovial membrane. Histopathological examination showed perivascular accumulations of mononuclear inflammatory cells in the white matter of the brain, proliferative synovitis characterized by villous hypertrophy, synovial cell hyperplasia and infiltration by mononuclear inflammatory cells. Pulmonary lesions consists of patchy interstitial pneumonia with hyperplasia of lymphoid tissues and an extensive mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltration into the alveolar septa. Confirmation by nested PCR involves amplification of a 296 bp (lst PCR) and 184 bp (2nd PCR) fragments corresponding to the gag region of the CAE virus. This is the first time CAE has been reported in a local farm in Korea and emphasizes the importances of developing preventive measures against CAE.