Vol. 12, Issue 1 (2023)

Author(s):
Devanand Uttamrao Mane, Kishan Kumar M, Sarat Chandra A, Nagalakshmi D, Sakaram D and Venkataramana K

Abstract:
Sixty does (60, 3x20) of Mahabubnagar local does for reproductive performance were selected from the Goat unit, Livestock Research Station, Mahabubnagar. They were divided in to three groups G1 (Intensive), G2 (Semi-intensive) and G3 (Extensive) in a Completely Randomized Design. G1 group animals were provided with farm-grown chaffed green fodder with concentrate feed @ 1% of body weight, G2 group animals were provided with 200 grams of concentrate feed along with 6 hours of grazing per day and G3 group of animals were sent for grazing for about 8-10 hours per day and no supplemental feed was offered in the sheds. Significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between G1 and G2 groups while G2 and G3 groups were non-significantly (p<0.05) different in terms of the mean age at puberty of doe kids. The body weight at puberty in the G1 group doe kids had a significant (p<0.05) difference with G2 and G3, but G3 group had lower body weight at puberty than G2 group and statically non- significantly (p<0.05) differ with G3. The mean age at first service was lowest in G1 (344.05±1.43) followed by G2 (377.10±1.09) and G3 (396.60±1.34) groups and significant (p<0.05) difference was observed among the three groups. Conception and kidding rate in the G1 and G2 groups was 75 and 70%, respectively, and corresponding values in the G3 group were 70 and 60%. The gestation period had no significant (p<0.05) difference between the three groups. The mean body weight (kg) of does at the time of breeding was significantly (p<0.05) higher in G1 than in G2 and G3 groups. The overall mean body weight (kg) of pregnant does was higher in the G1 (30.33±0.05) group and lower in the G3 (27.51±0.05) group with significant difference (p<0.05) between the three groups in the 5^th month of pregnancy. The overall mean body weight (kg) of does in the G1 group was significantly (p<0.05) higher than G2 (25.44±0.02) and G3 (24.06±0.03) groups from the kidding to weaning period. The mean BCS at breeding in the G2 group does have nonsignificant (p<0.05) difference with the G3 group does. The average BCS of does during pregnancy in the G1 group had a significant (p<0.05) difference with G2 and G3 groups, but the mean BCS of the G2 and G3 groups were non- significant (p<0.05). The total gain of BCS during the pregnancy period in the G1, G2 and G3 groups were 0.65±0.07, 0.53±0.07 and 0.45±0.12 respectively. The mean BCS after 48 hrs of kidding was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the G1 (3.00±0.00) group followed by the G2 (2.75±0.07) and G3 (2.38±0.07) group. The BCS of the does had linear decrease in all the groups from kidding to weaning. A significantly (p<0.05) higher coefficient of determination was found between body weight and BCS compared to other body measurements of does.