Effect of Vacuum Level and Pulsation Parameters on Milking Efficiency and Animal Welfare of Murciano-Granadina Goats Milked in Mid-Line and Low-Line Milking Machines

The Murciano-Granadina goat breed has been described as a slow milking breed. As milking machine parameters can affect milk extraction in terms of yield and time employed, two experiments of one-month duration were performed with 88 goats in Latin square design to find the best combination of these parameters. One of them was carried out in a mid-line milking machine and one in a low-line milking machine. For each of them, two vacuum levels (36 and 40 kPa), two pulsation rates (90 and 120 cycles/min) and two pulsator ratios (50 and 60%) were used and milking efficiency, sanitary status of the mammary gland, milk cortisol, and teat end status were evaluated. Results showed that in milking machines installed in mid- and low-line, the use of 40 kPa system vacuum, 60% pulsator ratio and 90 or 120 cycles/min pulsation rate achieved optimum milking fractioning and efficiency. In the case of low-level milking machines, a similar combination with 36 kPa not only showed worse milking fractioning values, but also provided better values of teat end status and cortisol level.

Effects of Various Levels of Luteinizing Hormone and Caprine Follicular Fluid on In Vitro Embryo Production of Shami Goat

In the current study, the hypothesis of the effects of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicular fluid (FF) derived from follicles of varying size on in vitro embryo production of the Shami goat breed were tested. The caprine follicular fluid (cFF) was obtained from healthy female’s ovaries by aspiration method and classified into two main classes (follicles with a diameter of ≤ 2mm and ≥3mm). The resulting cFF was added to the culture medium TCM-199 through six Treatments (A, B and C with a source of follicle size of ≤ 2mm; D, E and F with a source of size of ≥3mm). LH was added only to four of the previous Treatments with the levels of 50 µg ml-1 (B and E) and100 µg ml-1 (C and F). Results of the study showed that the oocytes incubated in Treatment F achieved a clear superiority (p=0.001) in the rates of maturation (87.0%), fertilization (80.0%) and cleavage (82.3%). The oocytes incubated in the same Treatment (F) continued to outperform (p= 0.006) by achieving the best rates across cleavage stages at 2-16 cell (16%; the lower value of arrest) and blastocyst (42%). Significant differences (P=0.03) were observed among the rates of Type 1embryos (the highest rate: 45.3%; Treatment F) and Type 3 embryos (the highest rate: 45.1%; Treatment A). No significant differences were observed in the rates of morula and Type 2 embryos. It is advised to add 15% of the cFF derived from follicles with a diameter of ≥3mm and 100 µg of LH ml-1 in the maturation media to obtain higher rates of maturation and cleavage of goat oocytes.

Somatic Cell Number, Physicochemical, and Microbiological Parameters of Raw Milk of Goats During the End of Lactation as Compared by Breeds and Number of Lactations

This study was aimed for the evaluation of somatic cell count (SCC), physicochemical, and microbiological parameters during the end of lactation in the raw milk of Alpine and native Red goat breed. In the experiment, 102 milk samples from Alpine and native Red goats were included. Two different groups within the same breed were analyzed: a group consisting of animals in their first lactation and the second group consisting of animals from the fifth lactation. The milk samples were individually and daily collected during late lactation for three consecutive weeks, and milk fat, protein, lactose, SCC, and total bacteria with enterobacteria were assessed. Fresh milk of goats from late lactation period had a number of somatic cells (SC) within the expected value with log10 of 5.8–6.18 cells/ml for the compared groups. In both breeds, the total mesophilic bacteria were fewer in numbers, however, in the native Red goat, a larger population of such bacteria was enumerated. The number of coliforms and enterobacteria was below 100 cfu/ml. In the current study, we were able to show a significant difference among the studied breeds depending on lactation and season for fat (p = 0.002), but not for lactose and protein content. A positive correlation for total protein (TP), lactose, and fat as well as for lactose and SCC was found in the native Red goat breed. In the Alpine goat breed, a strong positive correlation (0.821**) was found for lactose and enterobacteria count (EC). In conclusion, these findings evaluate different goat milk parameters during late lactation period and provide an indirect measure to monitor goat mammary gland health for both breeds.

The Reproductive Performance of Native Osmanabadi Goat of India

Among the goat breeds of India, Osmanabadi goat breed is one of the most popular goat breed of the arid and semi-arid region of Maharashtra state. Historically this breed is known to exist on Deccan Plateau since decades. The name Osmanabadi is derived from its origin, i.e. Osmanabad district in Maharashtra state. The breeds is distributed mainly in 2 southern states of India viz. Western Telangana and North Eastern Karnataka state and are having largest contribution to meat production in Southern India as their meat is very tasty when compared with local breeds. The Osmanabadi breed is suited to all types of rearing systems, the most ideal being the semi-intensive system (grazing and closed enclosure) where higher production has been observed compared to extensive (grazing system) and intensive systems (zero grazing system). Osmanabadi goats reared in the Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana border region had been analysed with reproductive parameters and found that, the female kids attend puberty at the age of 349.8 ± 6.9 days with 17.45 ± 0.23 Kg body weight. The average gestation period found was 152.24 ± 0.24 days. The mean age at first kidding was found to be 494.4 ± 8.1 days. The average duration of post-partum anoestrus period was 67.34 ± 6.31 days which was responsible for short inter-kidding interval which shows high profile reproductive efficiency. The mean kidding interval recorded as 232.62 ± 5.45 days. Majority of kidding resulted in single births (87.27%) and with only 12.73% of multiple births. Breeding season and kidding season of Osmanabadi goats was observed from the month of June to September and November to February as a major.

Meat Quality of the Native Carpathian Goat Breed in Comparison with the Saanen Breed

Goats provide valuable products that are appreciated by consumers who are looking for food that is not only tasty but also healthy, and, probably, one of them is goat meat. Breeding of local breeds such as the native Carpathian goat has been gaining importance in recent years, which creates an opportunity for the development of the goat meat market. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of goat breed on the basic chemical, fatty and amino acid composition, colour and sensory evaluation of meat. The research material consisted of Carpathian goats from the NRIAP experimental plant located in the southern part of Poland, and goats from a farm keeping Saanen goats in south-eastern Poland. Ten male goat kids from each breed were taken to the NRIAP farm. The quality of meat obtained from the leg (m. biceps femoris) of male goat kids about 150 days old at slaughter was analysed. The meat of the Carpathian goat was characterised by a lower content of protein and cholesterol (p < 0.01), and a higher content of fat and general collagen compared to the meat from Saanen goats (p < 0.05). Cholesterol content in goat meat of both breeds was similar and ranged from 55.08 mg/100 g (Carpathian) to 56.79 mg/100 g (Saanen). Despite the higher collagen content, the goat meat of Carpathian breeds was characterised by lower shear force, less hardness (p < 0.05) and chewiness, being a more delicate meat. The fat of Carpathian goat breeds was characterised by a higher content of monounsaturated acids, mainly C 18:1n:9, and a more favourable (lower) saturation index, S/P (p < 0.05). The meat of Carpathian goats was characterised by a higher health-promoting quality compared to the meat from Saanen goats. In the goat meat of both breeds, there were no differences between the total content of exogenous and endogenous amino acids. The essential/nonessential amino acids (EAA/NEAA) ratio in the meat of the analysed breeds was 0.88:0.89. However, the meat of the Carpathian goats was statistically significantly higher concerning the content of phenylalanine, histidine, proline, alanine and tyrosine, as compared to the meat of the Saanen goats. The obtained results confirm the high quality of the meat of the local Carpathian breed in comparison to the Saanen breed.

Microsatellite-Based Genetic Characterization of the Indigenous Katjang Goat in Peninsular Malaysia

The Katjang goat is the only indigenous domestic goat breed in Malaysia. Following a national baseline survey from 2001 to 2002, this breed was reported to the FAO as being at risk of extinction. In this study, 36 microsatellite markers were screened, and 25 polymorphic markers were used to analyze the genetic structure of the Katjang goat breed in Peninsular Malaysia. A sample set of data derived from another 10 populations from three published research studies was used as an outgroup for an inter-population genetic study. The analysis showed that the mean value of the observed heterozygosity was 0.29 ± 0.14, and the expected heterozygosity was 0.72 ± 0.14, which indicated low genetic diversity. The inbreeding coefficient, FIS, was high, at 0.46. Significant (p < 0.01) deviations from the Hardy Weinberg equilibrium were noted for all loci. The bottleneck analysis using the Wilcoxon Rank test under the two-phase model of mutation was significant (p < 0.01) for heterozygosity excess, which suggested that the Katjang breed had undergone significant population reduction in the past. Through combined analysis of data from publicly available research, almost the entire population of Katjang goats represent the centroid and are grouped together on a multidimensional scaling plot, except for the Terengganu population. Network analysis revealed that the goat population from Pahang formed the centrality of the network.

Molecular investigations on the Rajanpuri strain of Beetal goat breed of Pakistan by complete mtDNA displacement region and microsatellite markers

The mitochondrial DNA sequences of DNA-D loops (mtDNA) from 105 individuals (11 Beetal goat Rajanpuri strains and 94 sequences extracted from GenBank) from 19 geographically and phenotypically defined domestic goat breeds in Pakistan were analysed in this experiment. In this study, we examined variability and molecular phylogeny of breeds. A total of 81 haplotypes were observed in 105 individuals, with a haplotype diversity of 0.984±0.006 and nucleotide diversity of 0.03953±0.00843. Phylogenetic analysis based on the mtDNA hyper variable segment (HVI) of the control region (481 bp), showed four mtDNA haplogroups (A, B1, C, and D) identified in Pakistani domestic goats, in which haplogroup A (84.11%) was dominant and widely distributed among all investigated breeds. The study revealed that all Rajanpuri strain haplotypes belonged to haplogroup A. The Rajanpuri is a rare local strain of Beetal goat breed located in western Punjab province of Pakistan. The results of genetic diversity based on 11 microsatellite loci revealed allelic diversity (3.6363) and high genetic diversity (0.8342) in the examined Rajanpuri goat breeds. The analysis for signature bottleneck events, using three models, revealed significant deviation of Rajanpuri goats from mutation drift equilibrium. The qualitative test of mode shift analysis also supported the results obtained under three models, indicating the presence of a recent genetic bottleneck in the Rajanpuri strain. This study provides the first information on the mtDNA architecture, genetic diversity and bottleneck analysis, which will be useful in the conservation and management of the highly valued Rajanpuri goat.

Ocular Ultrasonography and Echobiometry in Goats of Different Age and Breed

Background: Bhakarwali, a recognized goat breed of India is native to region of Jammu and Kashmir, plays a significant role in sustaining the livelihood of small and marginal farmers especially the nomadic tribes of Gujjars and Bhakarwals. Keeping in view, its importance to the farming community, high number of cases handled and lack of literature available in the country regarding baseline echobiometric values of eye in goats in general, the present study was undertaken.Methods: Ocular sonography and echobiometry was performed in Bhakarwali (n=60) and Non-descript goats (n=32) and normal echobiometric values for eye structures in different age groups were established.Result: There was significant (P greater than 0.05) increase in the different ocular echobiometric measurements as the animal aged. Further, echobiometric values were non-significantly higher in Bhakarwali goats than local non-descript breed in all the age groups.

Analysis of Genetic Variability in the Caprine Class II MHC CLA DRB3.2(Cahi DRB3.2) gene locus of the Sangamneri goat breed of India

The objective of this study was to assess the genetic variability present across the Class II MHC DRB 3.2 gene locus in the Sangamneri goat breed of India. Sixty three single nucleotide variations were observed in CLA-DRB3.2 gene of eleven Sangamneri animals. Sixteen haplotypes with Haplotype diversity of 0.974 were found. Besides the snp(s) having two alleles, both triple and tetra allelic single nucleotide variations were present. Thus, the Class II DRB 3.2 gene of the Sangamneri goat breed animals (CLA-DRB3.2/ Cahi DRB3.2) was exhibiting a very high degree of genetic polymorphism. Of the sixty three single nucleotide variations, fifty variations were non-synonymous i.e. they resulted in a change in the corresponding amino acid encoded by the triplet codon in which they were existing. Both conservative and non-conservative amino acid changes were observed to occur. Rich diversity of the DRB3.2 gene reflected well on the ability of the Sangamneri animals to survive in the harsh climatic condition(s), exposed to all kinds of pathogen(s) existing in the environment.