Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125

Dairy goat performance with different dietary concentrate

levels in late lactation
A.L. Goetsch*, G. Detweiler, T. Sahlu, R. Puchala, L.J. Dawson
E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research, Langston University, Langston, OK 73050, USA
Accepted 21 May 2001

Abstract

Alpine yearling doelings (22; 44  1:0 kg) and mature does (25; 59  1:7 kg) were used in an experiment with 16 weeks in
late lactation, 8±13 weeks dry and 12 weeks in the subsequent lactation. Diets of 20, 35, 50 or 65% concentrate and 2.18, 2.34,
2.49 and 2.62 Mcal/kg ME, respectively (20C, 35C, 50C and 65C treatments, respectively), were consumed ad libitum in late
lactation, with a 35% concentrate diet (2.18 Mcal/kg ME) in the ®rst 4 weeks of the dry phase and 50% concentrate (2.65 Mcal/
kg ME) until kidding. Other goats consuming 20 or 35% concentrate in late lactation received 65 (2.65 Mcal/kg ME) or 50%
concentrate, respectively, in the dry phase (20A and 35A treatments, respectively). All goats consumed a 50% concentrate diet
(2.42 Mcal/kg ME) in the subsequent early lactation. DM intake in late lactation was similar among treatments (1.95, 2.21, 2.17,
2.10, 1.99 and 2.00 kg per day for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A, respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:098) and greater (P < 0:05) for
does versus doelings (2.16 versus 1.98 kg per day; S:E: ˆ 0:058); DM intake in the dry phase was similar among treatments.
Relative to BW, DM intake was greater (P < 0:05) for doelings than for does in late lactation (4.16 versus 3.43% BW) and early
lactation (4.56 versus 3.80% BW). The effect of dietary treatment on milk production in late lactation varied with parity
(P < 0:05); milk production by doelings was 1.39, 1.49, 1.43, 1.57, 1.29 and 1.52 kg per day and by does was 1.01, 1.89, 2.38,
1.63, 1.17 and 1.34 kg per day for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A, respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:200). BW change during the entire
16 weeks late lactation phase was greater (P < 0:05) for 65C than for other treatments except 50C (6.9, 5.6, 9.1, 10.4, 5.8 and
4.0 kg for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A, respectively; S:E: ˆ 1:28), although BW at kidding and litter weight were similar
among treatments. BW, DM intake and milk production in the ®rst 12 weeks of the subsequent lactation were not affected by
dietary treatment or parity. In conclusion, with moderate to high quality forage in late lactation and a moderate level of
concentrate in the dry period, the level of concentrate fed in late lactation and in the dry period may not affect subsequent
lactation performance regardless of parity. Milk production by doelings in late lactation appears relatively less responsive to
dietary concentrate level than that by does. # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Dairy goat; Concentrate level; Lactation

1. Introduction Dietary characteristics in¯uence milk yield and body

Optimal feeding programs for dairy goats in late
lactation and when dry are not well established.
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: ‡1-405-466-3836;
fax: ‡1-405-466-3138.
E-mail address: goetsch@mail.luresext.edu (A.L. Goetsch).
condition of dairy goats, as well as growth of primi-
parous goats. In this regard, parity in¯uences feeding
management for lactating dairy goats. There must be
consideration for nutrient and energy demands of
continued growth of doelings and associated effects
on nutrient partitioning, of relatively greater concern
with ®rst kidding at 1 versus 2 years of age. In¯uences

0921-4488/01/$ ± see front matter # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 2 1 - 4 4 8 8 ( 0 1 ) 0 0 2 1 2 - 7
118 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125
of differences in nutrient partitioning between primi-
parous and multiparous goats on responses to diets
varying in properties such as levels of concentrate and
energy have not been extensively studied.
Lactating dairy goats draw upon body reserves in
early lactation when feed intake does not meet nutrient
demands (AFRC, 1998). In early lactation, energy
derived from body reserves is utilized more ef®ciently
for milk production than feed energy (NRC, 1989).
Because of impacts on the ability to conceive later and
subsequent lactational performance, these body stores
must be replenished later while lactating or in the dry
phase. However, effects of differences in the period of
time during which body energy stores are replenished
on subsequent lactation performance by dairy goats
are unclear.
Frequently, moderate dietary levels of concentrate
and energy are used in late lactation to replenish tissue
mobilized earlier, followed by lower levels in the ®rst
segment of the dry period. In the last few weeks of the
dry period for dairy cows, the level of concentrate can
be increased to prepare for parturition and lactation. In
dairy cows, ef®ciency of energy use for body weight
gain appears greater in late lactation than in the dry
period (Moe et al., 1971). However, this might not be
true for ef®ciency of energy use over the entire late
lactation per dry period, depending on the quantity of
energy used while dry to maintain body energy stores
replaced earlier. Hence, objectives of this experiment
were to determine effects of dietary concentrate and
energy levels in late lactation and the dry phase on
performance of Alpine yearling doelings and mature
does in late lactation and the subsequent early lacta-
tion phase.
2. Materials and methods
Alpine yearling doelings (22; initial
BW ˆ 44  1:0 kg) and does (25; 59  1:7) kg in
the mid-to-late segment of a 10 months lactation
period were allocated to six dietary treatments for
similar milk production within dietary treatment and
parity. Doelings were approximately 1.5 years of age
and does were at least 2.5 years old when the experi-
ment began. In a 3-week covariate period preceding
the 16-week late lactation phase of the experiment, a
50% concentrate diet (Table 1; EL50 diet) was con-
sumed ad libitum, with measurement of daily feed
intake and milk production and milk composition on 1
day in both weeks 2 and 3. This diet also was con-
sumed before the covariate period.
Four of the six dietary treatments entailed ad libi-
tum consumption in late lactation of 20, 35, 50 or 65%
concentrate diets (treatments 20C, 35C, 50C and 65C,
respectively), containing 20% cottonseed hulls and dif-
ferent levels of coarsely ground alfalfa hay (Table 1).
In the ®rst 4 weeks of the dry period, a 35% concen-
trate diet was consumed ad libitum, followed by a 50%
concentrate diet until kidding (Table 1). For goats on
the other two treatments, 20 or 35% concentrate diets
were consumed ad libitum in late lactation but were
followed by either 65 or 50% concentrate diets,
respectively, until kidding (20A and 35A treatments,
respectively). The EL50 diet was consumed in the 12
weeks early lactation phase after kidding.
Does were housed in con®nement in pens ®tted with
Calan gates (American Calan, Inc.; Northwood, NH,
USA) for individual feeding. Animal groups consisted
of doelings or does, each with animals of every dietary
treatment. Diets were completely mixed and fed once
daily at 0900 h at approximately 110% of consump-
tion on the preceding few days; milking was at 0400
and 1600 h. Dam BW was determined at the beginning
and end of the covariate period and every 4 weeks
thereafter through the ®rst 4 weeks of the dry period.
Dam and kid BW were measured at kidding, and dam
BW was determined at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of the early
lactation phase. The dry phase ranged in length from 8
to 13 weeks. Feed samples were obtained once weekly
and composited across 4-week periods for analysis for
DM, CP (AOAC, 1990) and NDF (®lter bag technique;
ANKOM Technology Corp., Fairport, NY, USA). Milk
samples from both milkings were obtained in the cov-
ariate period and on 1 day in weeks 8, 12 and 16 of late
lactation and weeks 4, 8 and 12 of early lactation.
Samples were analyzed for fat, protein (N  6:38) and
lactose with an infrared spectrophotometer (Multi-
spec2; Multispec, Wheldrake, NY, USA).
Data were analyzed by general linear models pro-
cedures of SAS (1990). There was initially a greater
number of goats allocated to treatments than noted
previously; however, data from does that did not
kid were omitted from analyses. Data for variables
measured at more than one time were ®rst analyzed as
a split plot-in-time and with a factorial arrangement of
 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125 119

Table 1
Composition of diets consumed by Alpine does and doelings in different stages of the lactation cycle

Item Dieta

20C 35C 50C 65C D35 D50 D65 EL50

Ingredient composition (% DM)
Cottonseed hulls 20.000 20.000 20.000 20.000 50.000 35.000 20.000 25.000
Ground alfalfa hay 60.000 45.000 30.000 15.000 15.000 15.000 15.000 25.000
Ground corn 10.600 23.081 35.205 46.537 13.381 30.262 47.018 27.194
Soybean meal 3.949 6.588 9.287 12.133 16.405 14.453 12.528 16.100
Dried molasses 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000 3.000
Dicalcium phosphate 1.060 0.940 0.828 0.724 0.081 0.000 0.000 1.319
Calcium carbonate 0.000 0.000 0.289 0.945 0.042 0.194 0.363 0.893
Ammonium sulfate 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.200 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Vitamin premixb 0.500 0.500 0.500 0.500 0.500 0.500 0.500 0.500
Trace mineralized saltc 0.691 0.691 0.691 0.691 0.691 0.691 0.691 0.691
Sodium bicarbonate 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.250 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
Magnesium oxide 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.020 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.303
Magnesium sulfate 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.900 0.900 0.900 0.000
Chemical composition
CP (% DM) 17.7 17.5 16.7 16.4 16.6 17.9 17.5 16.7
NDF (% DM) 48.2 44.3 40.9 35.1 61.1 50.5 38.9 47.6
MEd (Mcal/kg DM) 2.18 2.34 2.49 2.62 2.18 2.42 2.65 2.42
NEld (Mcal/kg DM) 1.36 1.47 1.57 1.66 1.36 1.52 1.68 1.53
Cad (% DM) 1.14 0.92 0.80 0.80 0.39 0.40 0.44 1.06
Pd (% DM) 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.40 0.25 0.25 0.27 0.51
Sd (% DM) 0.29 0.28 0.27 0.26 0.45 0.46 0.46 0.23
Mgd (% DM) 0.26 0.23 0.21 0.20 0.36 0.35 0.35 0.38
Kd (% DM) 1.97 1.69 1.40 1.12 1.36 1.24 1.13 1.45
a
20C: 20% concentrate diet in late lactation; 35C: 35% concentrate diet in late lactation; 50C: 50% concentrate diet in late lactation; 65C:
65% concentrate diet in late lactation; D35: 35% concentrate diet in the dry period; D50: 50% concentrate diet in the dry period; D65: 65%
concentrate diet in the dry period; EL50: 50% concentrate diet in the subsequent early lactation period.
b
Contained 2200 IU Vitamin A, 1200 IU Vitamin D3 and 2.2 IU Vitamin E/gm.
c
Contained 95±98.5% NaCl and at least 0.24% Mn, 0.24% Fe, 0.05% Mg, 0.032% Cu, 0.011% Co, 0.007% I and 0.005% Zn.
d
Calculated based on NRC (1981).

treatments. In most instances interaction(s) between 3. Results

time and dietary treatment and or parity occurred.
Hence, variables for different times were analyzed
separately along with values averaged over time or
phase (i.e. late and early lactation). Measures in the
covariate period affected (P < 0:05) most variables in
late lactation and, thus, were included in models for all
variables except BW change. Models also included
dietary treatment, parity and their interaction. When
the interaction was signi®cant, individual dietary
treatment-parity means were presented in tables; main
effect means for dietary treatments were presented for
other variables, with signi®cant parity differences
denoted in the text. Differences among means were
determined by least signi®cant difference procedures
with a protected F-test (P < 0:05).
3.1. Diet composition
Dietary concentrations of CP were slightly greater
than anticipated, and the concentration in late lactation
diets decreased as the level of concentrate increased
and that of alfalfa hay decreased. The level of CP in
alfalfa hay may have been slightly greater than
assumed. Even though treatment designations are
based on dietary concentrate levels for ease of view-
ing, it is noteworthy that calculated ME and NEl
concentrations for diets with 35, 50 and 65% concen-
trate differed between late and early lactation phases
primarily because of higher energy values for alfalfa
than for cottonseed hulls. For example, ME and NEl
120 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125
concentrations were similar for LL20 and D35 diets,
and ME and NEl levels were greater for LL50 and
EL50 diets than for the D50 diet.
3.2. DM intake, BW and milk yield
DM intake was similar among treatments in all
segments of late lactation, the dry phase and early
lactation (Table 2). DM intake was not in¯uenced
by interactions between dietary treatment and parity.
The only signi®cant effects of parity on DM intake
were in weeks 1±4 (1.89 and 2.05 kg per day; S:E: ˆ
0:051) and 1±16 (1.98 and 2.16 kg per day for doelings
and does, respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:058) in late lactation.
Parity and dietary treatment did not interact in BW
or BW change. BW was 51  1:4 and 61  2:1 kg at
weeks 16 of late lactation, 59  1:5 and 72  2:0 kg at
4 weeks in the dry period, 56  1:5 and 68  1:8 kg at
kidding and 51  1:5 and 61  1:8 kg at weeks 12 of
the subsequent early lactation phase. Even though
dietary treatment effects did not differ between doel-
ings and does, over the entire experiment doelings
increased in BW by approximately 7 kg, whereas doe
BW was only 1 kg greater at the end versus beginning
of the experiment.
Dietary treatment did not in¯uence BW at 4 or 8
weeks in late lactation; however, there were signi®cant
effects at 12 and 16 weeks (Table 2). Differences were
relatively greater at 16 versus 12 weeks, with greater
change between 12 and 16 weeks than between the
initiation of the experiment and weeks 12. In accor-
dance, BW change during the entire 16 weeks late
lactation phase was greater (P < 0:05) for 65C than
for other treatments except 50C (6.9, 5.6, 9.1, 10.4, 5.8
and 4.0 kg for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A,
respectively; S:E: ˆ 1:28). Differences in BW at 4
weeks in the dry period were quite similar to those at
weeks 16 of late lactation. Conversely, BW was
similar among treatments immediately after kidding,
but there were numerical differences of fairly similar
magnitude after kidding compared with 4 weeks in the
dry period. BW gain from the end of late lactation to
kidding was 3.2, 3.1, 0.1, 2.1, 5.2 and 4.0 kg for 20C,
35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A, respectively
(S:E: ˆ 2:22).
Dietary treatment effects on BW in late lactation
and in week 4 of the dry period were not attributable to
the number of kids born (2.0, 2.1, 2.1, 1.8, 1.7 and 1.8;
S:E: ˆ 0:24) or litter weight (8.4, 8.8, 7.8, 7.1, 6.5 and
6.9 kg for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A, respec-
tively; S:E: ˆ 0:87). Differences (P < 0:05) did, how-
ever, occur between doelings and does in the number
of kids (1.7 and 2.1 for primiparous and multiparous,
respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:14) and total litter weight (6.8
and 8.4 kg for doelings and does, respectively;
S:E: ˆ 0:51). BW in the subsequent early lactation
phase was similar among treatments, as was also true
for BW loss from kidding to week 12 of early lactation
(4.6, 5.5, 9.1, 7.0, 4.1 and 5.4 kg for 20C, 35C, 50C,
65C, 20A and 35A, respectively; S:E: ˆ 1:61).
Dietary treatment and parity interacted in late lacta-
tion milk yield in weeks 5±8, 9±12 and 1±16 (Table 2).
Although interactions in weeks 1±4 and 13±16 were
not signi®cant, similar numerical differences existed.
Overall, dietary treatments had relatively little effect
on milk yield by doelings. In contrast, for does milk
yield increased with increasing dietary concentrate
level up to a plateau with the 50C diet and declined
with further increase to 65% concentrate. As expected,
milk yield for 20A was similar to that for 20C, but that
for 35A was numerically lower than for 35C. Milk
yield was similar among dietary treatments in the
subsequent early lactation phase and comparable
between doelings and does in both late and early
lactation phases.
The ratio of milk yield and DM intake in late
lactation was similar among parities (0.70 and 0.75
for doelings and does, respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:046), but
differed among dietary treatments (0.66, 0.72, 0.88,
0.79, 0.56 and 0.73 for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and
35A, respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:076). However, in early
lactation the milk yield and DM intake ratio did not
differ among dietary treatments (1.48, 1.60, 1.53, 1.57,
1.46 and 1.50 for 20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A,
respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:087) or between parities (1.53
and 1.52 for doelings and does, respectively; S:E: ˆ
0:052). The difference in ratios between late and early
lactation phases indicates considerable nutrient use for
pregnancy and maternal tissue replenishment in late
lactation and for milk production in early lactation.
3.3. Milk composition
Milk fat concentration was not affected by dietary
treatment in late lactation, which was also true in the
early lactation phase except for weeks 12 (Table 3).
 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125 121

Table 2
Effects of dietary concentrate and energy levels in a 16-week late lactation period and the dry period on DM intake, BW and milk yield for
Alpine doelings and doesa

Item Period Week Dietary treatmentb

20C 35C 50C 65C 20A 35A S.E.

DM intake (kg per day) Late lactation 1±4 1.90 2.08 2.08 1.96 1.91 1.89 0.085
5±8 1.94 2.16 2.11 2.22 2.06 1.95 0.119
9±12 1.88 2.31 2.16 2.13 1.97 1.99 0.110
13±16 2.08 2.28 2.33 2.08 2.03 2.16 0.167
1±16 1.95 2.21 2.17 2.10 1.99 2.00 0.098
Dry 1±4 2.46 2.26 2.04 2.15 2.14 2.19 0.129
5-Kidding 2.27 2.37 2.00 2.03 2.04 2.14 0.125
1-Kidding 2.36 2.32 2.02 2.09 2.09 2.16 0.111
Early lactation 1±4 2.06 2.14 2.31 2.29 2.40 2.13 0.192
5±8 2.45 2.76 2.57 2.71 2.62 2.60 0.201
9±12 2.42 3.03 2.35 2.71 2.70 2.54 0.240
1±12 2.31 2.64 2.41 2.58 2.58 2.42 0.189
BWc (kg) Late lactation 4 47.8 49.3 49.1 49.7 48.8 48.4 0.73
8 49.5 47.5 50.5 50.0 47.7 46.4 1.32
12 52.9 abc 51.8 ab 54.5 bc 55.5 c 55.2 ab 49.7 a 1.06
16 59.2 abc 57.1 a 61.1 bc 62.5 c 58.2 ab 56.1 a 1.33
Dry 4 65.8 a 63.7 a 66.3 ab 69.1 b 66.1 ab 64.3 a 1.26
Kidding 61.9 60.8 61.7 65.1 62.4 60.3 1.82
Early lactation 4 55.2 54.1 53.6 57.2 58.0 55.9 1.91
8 56.0 53.5 52.5 56.0 57.1 55.7 1.83
12 57.4 55.2 52.5 58.0 58.6 54.9 2.02
Milk yield (kg per day) Late lactation 1±4 1.41 a 1.79 bc 1.99 c 1.75 bc 1.51 ab 1.73 abc 0.120
5±8
Doeling 1.55 abc 1.45 abc 1.59 abc 1.72 bc 1.42 ab 1.54 abc 0.171
Does 1.23 a 1.92 c 2.59 d 1.79 bc 1.38 ab 1.47 abc
9±12
Doeling 1.51 abc 1.47 abc 1.33 abc 1.53 bc 1.31 abc 1.42 abc 0.259
Does 0.83 a 1.95 c 2.51 d 1.68 c 1.00 ab 1.27 abc
13±16 0.84 a 1.52 b 1.63 b 1.29 ab 0.86 a 1.14 ab 0.205
1±16
Doeling 1.39 abc 1.49 abc 1.43 abc 1.57 bc 1.29 ab 1.52 abc 0.200
Does 1.01 a 1.87 cd 2.38 d 1.63 bc 1.17 ab 1.34 bc
Early lactation 1±4 3.50 3.18 3.69 3.51 3.49 3.25 0.126
5±8 3.95 4.11 3.90 3.89 3.96 4.18 0.087
9±12 3.84 4.15 3.55 3.94 3.82 3.86 0.172
1±12 3.75 3.91 3.64 3.77 3.77 3.69 0.076
a
For letters a, b and c within a row or week grouping of doelings and does, means lacking a common letter differ (P < 0:05).
b
Treatment: 20C, 35C, 50C and 65C ˆ 20, 35, 50 or 65% concentrate diet in late lactation, respectively, followed by 35% concentrate diet
for the ®rst 4 weeks of the dry period, 50% concentrate diet in the late dry period and 50% concentrate diet in early lactation; 20A: 20%
concentrate diet in late lactation, followed by 65% concentrate diet in the dry period and 50% concentrate diet in early lactation; 35A: 35%
concentrate diet in late lactation, followed by 50% concentrate diet in the dry period and 50% concentrate diet in early lactation.
c
Initial BW was 43:9  1:03 and 59:4  1:71 kg for doelings and does, respectively.

Mean milk protein concentration and levels at 8, 12
and 16 weeks in late lactation did not differ among
20C, 35C, 50C and 65C treatments, although treat-
ment differences in week 12 primarily involving 20A
and 35A resulted in a greater mean protein concen-
tration for 20A versus 35C, 50C and 65C. Protein
concentrations in milk in the subsequent early lacta-
tion phase were similar among dietary treatments.
Despite a dietary treatment  parity interaction in
milk lactose concentration in week 8 of late lactation
122 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125

Table 3
Effects of dietary concentrate and energy levels in a 16-week late lactation period and the dry period on milk concentrations of fat, protein and
lactose for Alpine doelings and doesa

Item Period Week Dietary treatmentb

20C 35C 50C 65C 20A 35A S.E.

Fat (%) Late lactation 8 3.23 3.53 3.36 3.57 3.45 3.63 0.224
12 3.58 3.71 3.54 3.76 3.74 3.59 0.215
16 3.37 3.48 3.86 3.96 3.99 4.22 0.324
Mean 3.41 3.57 3.47 3.66 3.58 3.60 0.203
Early lactation 4 3.14 3.20 3.74 4.13 4.10 3.12 0.525
8 3.04 3.03 3.22 3.60 2.88 3.02 0.403
12 3.18 bc 3.01 abc 2.53 ab 3.02 abc 3.44 c 2.42 a 0.239
Mean 3.12 3.05 3.16 3.70 3.47 2.85 0.274
Protein (%) Late lactation 8 3.44 3.42 3.30 3.36 3.58 3.49 0.081
12 3.55 abc 3.31 a 3.32 ab 3.39 ab 3.77 c 3.65 bc 0.112
16 4.04 3.60 4.40 3.86 4.52 4.29 0.345
Mean 3.50 ab 3.39 a 3.33 a 3.37 a 3.67 b 3.57 ab 0.097
Early lactation 4 3.10 2.99 3.16 2.98 3.22 3.13 0.137
8 3.00 3.02 3.00 3.20 2.93 3.00 0.159
12 3.06 2.90 2.92 2.90 3.04 3.06 0.103
Mean 3.05 2.97 3.02 3.06 3.07 3.06 0.102
Lactose (%) Late lactation 8
Doelings 3.95 bcd 3.95 bcd 3.86 bc 4.01 bcd 3.93 bc 3.77 b 0.101
Does 3.58 a 4.19 d 4.03 bcd 4.20 d 3.88 bc 4.08 cd
12 3.89 4.13 4.06 4.04 4.00 4.00 0.075
16 3.70 b 4.01 b 3.72 b 4.04 b 3.08 a 3.74 b 0.212
Mean 3.83 4.10 4.00 4.07 3.95 3.96 0.067
Early lactation 4 4.20 3.86 4.19 4.24 4.28 4.35 0.150
8 4.01 4.03 4.03 4.08 3.91 4.05 0.133
12 3.87 4.07 3.99 4.06 3.97 3.96 0.060
Mean 4.03 4.01 4.07 4.13 4.05 4.12 0.074
a
For letters a, b and c within a row or week grouping of doelings and does, means lacking a common letter differ (P < 0:05).
b
Treatment: 20C, 35C, 50C and 65C: 20, 35, 50 or 65% concentrate diet in late lactation, respectively, followed by 35% concentrate diet
for the ®rst 4 weeks of the dry period, 50% concentrate diet in the late dry period and 50% concentrate diet in early lactation; 20A: 20%
concentrate diet in late lactation, followed by 65% concentrate diet in the dry period and 50% concentrate diet in early lactation; 35A: 35%
concentrate diet in late lactation, followed by 50% concentrate diet in the dry period and 50% concentrate diet in early lactation.

and dietary treatment differences in week 16
(P < 0:05), mean lactose concentration in milk in late
lactation was similar among treatments. Concentra-
tions of lactose in milk in the subsequent early lacta-
tion period were similar among treatments.
4. Discussion
4.1. Dietary concentrate level  parity
4.1.1. DM intake
Although DM intake in kg per day in late lactation
was greater for does versus doelings, DM intake in %
BW was considerably greater for doelings (i.e. 4.16
versus 3.43% BW), which was also true in early
lactation (4.56 versus 3.80% BW). There are two
general factors that could have given rise to these
differences between parities, which may also be rele-
vant to the interaction between dietary concentrate
level and parity to be addressed later. First, there may
have been differences between parities in genetic
merit for feed intake, milk yield and ef®ciency of
milk production. Secondly, parities could have dif-
fered in composition of accreted tissues, which con-
ceivably in¯uenced ef®ciency of energy metabolism.
In this regard, one of the current understandings or
postulates of feed intake control in ruminants is based
 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125
on the premise that, with ad libitum intake and prac-
tical production conditions, level of feed intake varies
to maintain a relatively constant ef®ciency of ME
utilization across diets varying in characteristics such
as concentrate level (Ketelaars and Tolkamp, 1992,
1996; Tolkamp and Ketelaars, 1992, 1994). That is,
feed intake changes with (1) potential and priorities
for nutrient and energy partitioning to different func-
tions such as accretion of protein, fat and the gravid
uterus plus mammary gland and milk production (each
with unique ef®ciencies of energy metabolism) and
(2) effects of dietary characteristics on energy parti-
tioning.
Even though milk yield and BW change in late
lactation (i.e. 7.4 and 6.5 kg increases for doelings and
does, respectively; S:E: ˆ 0:74) were similar between
parities, the greater number of kids and litter weight
for does than for doelings suggest that maternal tissue
mass accounted for relatively more of BW change for
doelings, which may have contributed to the tendency
for greater BW change during the entire experiment.
The ef®ciency of energy metabolism for development
of the gravid uterus plus mammary gland is less than
for protein and fat deposition in maternal tissues
(AFRC, 1998). Thus, ef®ciency of energy metabolism
per unit of energy stored could have been lower for does
versus doelings. In addition to the nutrient demand for
continual growth of doelings, energy use for main-
tenance per unit of metabolic BW may have been
slightly greater for doelings than for does because of
the difference in stage of maturity. Based on these
expected differences in ef®ciency of energy metabo-
lism and postulates of feed intake control mentioned
above, greater intake relative to BW for doelings
versus does could have been elicited by differences
in (1) energy demand and (2) contributions of speci®c
physiological functions varying in ef®ciency of meta-
bolism to total energy use (Goetsch, 1998).
4.1.2. Milk yield
The interaction between parity and dietary treat-
ment in late lactation milk yield indicates less suscept-
ibility of production by yearling doelings to effects of
dietary concentrate and energy levels. This interaction
may have been in part caused by greater milk produc-
tion potential of does and a lower priority for nutrient
partitioning to maternal tissues. However, as noted
from BW in late lactation, dietary concentrate and
123
energy levels impacted energy accretion in maternal
tissues of both doelings and does. A possible reason
why dietary concentrate level affected both milk yield
and BW of does but only doeling BW involves com-
position of body tissue accreted and associated differ-
ences in ef®ciency of energy metabolism. In this
regard, it is probable that does deposited relatively
more fat in maternal tissues than doelings, with doel-
ings presumably accreting more lean tissue and pro-
tein. Ef®ciency of energy metabolism is greater with
accretion of fat than protein (Lobley, 1994). Hence,
nutrient partitioning in late lactation by doelings for
accretion of predominantly lean tissue might have
restricted energy available for use in milk synthesis,
to a greater extent than for does because of their
relatively greater capacity for body energy storage
as fat. Likewise, the impact of this difference on
doeling milk yield should have increased with increas-
ing energy absorption and greater use of energy for
protein accretion. This might explain why doeling
milk yield did not change as dietary concentrate level
was increased from 20 to 50%.
Similar or greater milk yield for doelings versus
does in late lactation with 20C and 35C diets suggests
that diets even as low in concentrate as 20% (i.e.
2.18 Mcal/kg DM of ME and 1.36 Mcal/kg DM of
NEl) provide adequate nutrients and energy for milk
synthesis and growth of yearling doelings and for
subsequent lactation milk yield comparable to that
of mature does. The absence of interaction between
parity and dietary treatment in number of kids and
litter weight implies that the lower number of kids
born to doelings than does was not a consequence of
excessive nutrient partitioning to milk production or
growth but rather was simply a function of a lower
ovulation rate for primiparous dams.
4.2. Dietary concentrate (50 versus 65%)
Lower milk yield in late lactation by does consum-
ing 65C than 50C implies that high dietary concentrate
levels at this time do not enhance productivity as with
dairy cows (NRC, 1989). Morand-Fehr and Sauvant
(1978) suggested that dairy goats differ from dairy
cows in production responses to high dietary concen-
trate or ME levels, with peak dairy goat milk yields in
late lactation at dietary ME concentrations of 2.1±
2.5 Mcal/kg DM. Findings of the present experiment
124 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125
are in agreement for does in terms of depressed milk
yield at very high dietary ME concentrations, although
they suggest a higher plateau in ME concentration at
which milk yield is maximal. Conversely, these results
do not support similar in¯uences of dietary concen-
trate and energy levels with yearling doelings.
Reasons for differences between dairy goats and
cows in performance responses to various dietary
concentrate levels are unclear. However, in the present
experiment it did not appear that low ruminal pH
conditions with the 65C diet adversely affected per-
formance. For example, DM intake and milk fat
concentration were similar among treatments, and
milk yield by doelings, with higher DM intake relative
to BW, was similar between 50C and 65C treatments.
The most likely explanation for the difference in doe
milk yield in late lactation between 50C and 65C
treatments again relates to nutrient partitioning, since
with similar DM intake energy absorption was as great
or more likely greater for 65C.
Diets high in grain in¯uence hormonal conditions
such as insulin effects principally through high levels
of absorbed glucose and propionate, which can
increase body condition and fat accretion (Vandehaar
et al., 1999). Diets high in concentrate also increase
competition between body fat and the mammary gland
for nutrients such as glucose and NEFA (Gaynor et al.,
1995). Therefore, it is possible that energy deposition
in body fat was greater for 65C versus 50C, which
could have limited energy available for milk produc-
tion. In support, BW at the end of late lactation and
thereafter through the early lactation phase consis-
tently tended to be greater for 65C versus 50C, which
may have been facilitated by the low energy cost of
maintaining fat relative to protein (Webster, 1981).
Though this does not conclusively indicate greater
body fat concentration for 65C does, it is noteworthy
that in contrast to 65C versus 50C, the difference in
BW at the end of late lactation between the 50C diet
and 20C and 35C diets was not observed later. In ac-
cordance, as noted earlier doeling milk yield was not
lower with the 65C than 50C diet conceivably because
of appreciable potential for maternal tissue accretion,
with a rate affected less by the array of absorbed
nutrients compared with fat accretion by does.
Studies with dairy goats adequate for scrutiny of the
aforementioned hypothesis are not presently avail-
able; however, ®ndings from a recent experiment with
weaned Spanish kids (Wuliji, personal communica-
tions) may provide relevant support. A pelleted alfalfa
diet supported ADG similar to that with a 70% con-
centrate diet, yet internal and carcass fat deposition
was greater for the concentrate diet. Considering the
numerical difference in BW between 50C and 65C of
1.4 kg at the end of the late lactation phase of the
present experiment and differences in yields during
the 16 weeks late lactation phase of 2.6 kg fat, 2.7 kg
protein and 3.4 kg lactose, it seems that a relatively
small difference between 65C and 50C in maternal
tissue composition could account for the difference in
milk yield.
4.3. Time of tissue replenishment
Because milk yield and BW in the subsequent early
lactation phase were not enhanced by 20A and 35A
relative to 20C and 35C treatments, respectively, and
there were no differences among 20C, 35C and 65C
treatments, use of a 35% concentrate diet (2.18 Mcal/
kg DM of ME and 1.36 Mcal/kg DM of NEl) in the
®rst part of the dry phase followed by 50% concentrate
(2.42 Mcal/kg DM of ME and 1.52 Mcal/kg DM of
NEl) in the latter segment was adequate to compensate
for any differences in body energy status elicited by
different dietary treatments in late lactation. Thus,
there appears potential for considerable ¯exibility in
late lactation diets for matching production needs with
available feed supplies without impact on subsequent
performance, assuming an adequate plane of nutrition
in the dry phase. Relatedly, the sum of concentrate
intake in the early lactation phase was 42, 89, 130,
151, 43 and 77 kg (S:E: ˆ 5:7) and that of forage was
169, 166, 130, 81, 170 and 142 kg (S:E: ˆ 8:7) for
20C, 35C, 50C, 65C, 20A and 35A, respectively.
To adequately explore impacts of varying periods of
the lactation cycle during which body stores depleted
during early and mid-lactation phases are replenished,
differences in BW and BW change among 20C, 35C,
50C and 65C treatments greater than observed in this
experiment would be needed. Evidently, energy
absorbed with the diets lowest in concentrate was
not suf®ciently low to markedly limit BW gain. In
addition to use of diets lower in quality in late lactation
and the dry phase, a lower plane of nutrition earlier
to maximize maternal tissue stores in need of replace-
ment might be necessary to thoroughly address
 A.L. Goetsch et al. / Small Ruminant Research 41 (2001) 117±125
advantages and disadvantages of various times to
replenish tissue energy stores. Relatedly, quality of
the subsequent early lactation diet, as impacting mobi-
lization of maternal energy stores, could also be
important. For example, use of a low quality diet in
early lactation to maximize adipose tissue mobiliza-
tion should increase the likelihood of effects of late
lactation and dry phase dietary treatments, given the
potential for lower lipolytic rates in animals overfed in
the dry phase (Rukkwamsuk et al., 1998).
5. Conclusions
Alpine yearling doelings and mature does differed
in milk yield response to dietary concentrate and
energy levels in late lactation, with no effect for
doelings and increased milk yield for does as the
concentrate level increased to 50% (2.49 Mcal/kg
ME and 1.57 Mcal/kg NEl). Conversely, a 65% con-
centrate diet depressed milk yield in late lactation by
does compared with 50% concentrate. Dietary con-
centrate level may have little effect on subsequent
lactational performance with adequate nutritional
planes in subsequent dry and early lactation phases,
for both mature does and yearling doelings incurring
signi®cant growth.
Acknowledgements
Appreciation is expressed to the American Dairy
Goat Association for partial ®nancial support, as well
as to personnel of the farm and laboratory staff of the E
(Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research for their
efforts.
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