Effects of varying levels of protected fat on performance of Shami goats during early and mid lactation

This study was conducted to determine the responses of early lactating Shami goats to varying amounts of dietary supplementation of Ca salts of fatty acids. Shami goats (n = 75) in their first week of lactation were randomly assigned to 3 isonitrogenous dietary (TMR) treatments containing 0%, 3%, or 5% added Ca salt. The study took 60 days during which the following variables were measured: milk production and composition, body weight, feed intake, serum cholesterol and triglyceride, kids weaning weight, and milk fatty acids. Milk production and energy corrected milk were higher (P < 0.05) at 5% level. Percentages of milk composition were higher (P < 0.05) at 3% with CP% not different from 5%. No differences were observed in yields of different milk components including casein, final body weights, feed intake, or weaning weights of kids. Intake of metabolizable energy was higher (P < 0.05) at 5% level of Ca salts. Differences in milk fatty acids were mainly restricted to unsaturated ones with no effect on the saturated fatty acids. Such results suggest that milk production and content of lactating Shami goat can be changed by a level of 5% of Ca salts.