Effect of doe milking and supplementation using Dichrostachys cinerea pods on kid and doe performance in grazing goats during the dry season.

Effects of supplementation and milking of Matebele does four weeks pre-partum to weaning, on milk yield, kid birth weight and growth rate were studied. Forty does were divided into four treatments: supplemented and milked (SM), supplemented and not milked (SNM), not supplemented and milked (NSM); and not supplemented and not milked (NSNM). Supplemented goats were given 200 g/doe/day of Dichrostachys cinerea pods containing 19% CP. The study was carried out in September during time of feed unavailability and animals were grazed on rangelands for seven hours before being given the supplement. Fifty-six kids were born from all the experimental animals and 24 were singles whereas 32 were twins. Milk yield was higher (P < 0.05) in supplemented than non-supplemented does. Although supplementation had no effect on kid birth weights, growth rates were higher (P < 0.05) in the SNM group (103 +/- 10.1 g/day) than in the SM group (74 +/- 10.8 g/day). Among the non-supplemented groups, kids from milked does had higher (P < 0.05) daily gains (85 +/- 10.9 g/day) than those from non-milked does (67 +/- 10.7 g/day). Weaning weights were higher (P < 0.05) in SNM does (12.8 +/- 1.30 g/day) than in the SM does (10.2 +/- 1.17 g/day). Among kids from the non-supplemented does, those from milked does had superior (P < 0.05) weaning weights (11.2 +/- 1.23 g/day) than those from non - milked does (9.2 +/- 1.27 g/day). Mortalities were also lowest in kids born from SNM does. It is concluded that pre-partum to weaning supplementation generally increases milk production which then increases kids growth rates and weaning weights, as well as reduce kid mortalities.