The feeding supplementation schedule modifies productive response of grazing dairy goats

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the complementation schedule with an integral food in the production and chemical composition of the milk of lactating goats under grazing conditions in northern Mexico. Materials and methods. Twelve adult Saanen goats were assigned equitably and randomly to three treatments: control, morning complementation and evening complementation. It was measured dry matter consumption (DM), live weight (LW), body condition (CC), milk production (PL), chemical composition and performance of milk (protein, lactose and fat). Results. The highest total DM consumption was obtained in goats supplemented in the afternoon (p=0.02), and they were also the ones that produced the highest milk quantity (p<0.0001). The concentrations of protein (p=0.07) and lactose (p=0.10) in milk were not modified due to treatments. In contrast, the fat content in milk of the goats of the control group was higher (p<0.05) than the supplementation treatments. Conclusiones. Complementation in the afternoon improved the productive response of lactating goats in grazing during the dry season in northern Mexico.