Effect of flushing on body weight changes, nutrient digestibility and litter size of nulliparous does

Nulliparous crossbred does were flushed 1 week before and after mating with four diets containing 18, 20, 22 and 24% CP and placed on 18% CP during pregnancy and lactation. Fecal samples were collected in the second week of flushing for 4 days for proximate analysis. Parameters determined were body weight change and feed intake during flushing, nutrient digestibility, litter size and total milk production. Doe weight gain at end of flushing increased with increase in protein level with does on 24% CP gaining almost twice more (182 g) than those on 18% CP (91.67 g). Doe feed intake was higher before mating and decreased after mating in all the treatments. Protein level did not affect digestibility of dry matter, ash or crude fibre. Crude protein digestibility (85%), digestible crude protein (252.8 g kg(-1)) and ether extract (26.9) intake were higher with 24% CP compared with the other levels. Litter size at birth and alive at birth indicated a significant quadratic trend with protein level during flushing.