Maternal qualities of the Creole goats

Abstract

Creole goat dams have quite good maternal qualities: less than 24 hours after parturition 90 % of them refuse all stranger kid. 70 % of the kids try to found the mastis during the first 30 min and succeed to suck during the first 70 min. The development of suckling behaviour from birth to weaning is the same whatever the dam milk production level is. Until the 5th week the frequency is high (13 suckling/kid/6h of observation) and then decreases (6 suckling/kid/6h). During the first period kids closely depend on the mother’s milk, irrespective of the mother’s feeding level. Milk production level of suckling goats depends on individuals factors (such as parity and litter size) but varies primarily with feed supplies. Creole dams (25 kg LW) receiving Digitaria decumbens ad libitum and 0.5 kg/head/day of a concentrate mixture (106 g DM/kg 0.75) produce 93 0300 g milk/day during 85 days lactation length. This represents 3 to 4 % of their live bodyweight. While those offered forage only (82 g DM/ kg 0.75) give530 ± 195 g milk/da. Seasonal effects are taking into account indifferent experimentations and are due principally to qualitative nutrients ingestion level. The author presents technical conclusions concerning weaning management and discussions about selection criteria based upon these maternal qualities.