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Title: EFFECT OF INITIAL BODY CONDITION OF BOER X SPANISH YEARLING WETHERS AND LEVEL OF NUTRIENT INTAKE ON BODY COMPOSITION

Author
item NGWA, A. - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK
item DAWSON, L. - OK ST UNIV.,STILLWATER
item PUCHALA, R. - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK
item DETWEILER, G. - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK
item MERKEL, R. - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK
item TOVAR-LUNA, I - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK
item SAHLU, T. - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK
item Ferrell, Calvin
item GOETSCH, A. - LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, OK

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/22/2006
Publication Date: 7/12/2006
Citation: Ngwa, A., Dawson, L., Puchala, R., Detweiler, G., Merkel, R., Tovar-Luna, I., Sahlu, T., Ferrell, C., Goetsch, A. 2006. Effect of initial body condition of Boer x Spanish yearling wethers and level of nutrient intake on body composition [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science 84(Suppl. 1):325-326.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Yearling Boer x Spanish wethers were used to assess effects of initial body condition and level of feed intake on body composition. Before the experiment, 27 wethers were fed to achieve high body condition score (BCS; 1 to 5, with 1 = extremely thin and 5 = extremely fat) and BW (I-F) and 27 were fed for low BCS and BW (I-T). During experiments, I-F wethers were fed low amounts of a pelletized diet and I-T wethers received high amounts. In Exp. 1, harvest measures were determined at wk 0, 12, and 24 (n = 7). In Exp. 2, other animals (n = 6) were used to determine energy expenditure (EE) at three times (wk 1-3, 11-13, and 22-24 for Early, Middle, and Late, respectively). BCS in Exp. 1 was 3.8, 3.2, 2.6, 1.9, 2.8, and 3.5 (SE = 0.11) and live BW was 53.3, 46.2, 42.4, 36.6, 40.1, and 48.2 kg (SE = 2.03) for I-F:wk 0, I-F:wk 12, I-F:wk 24, I-T:wk 0, I-T:wk 1, and I-T:wk 2, respectively. Changes in carcass mass of protein (-5.9, -5.3, 7.0, and 5.8 g/d) and fat (-1.9, 0.2, 21.4, and 26.6 g/d) were greater (P < 0.05) for I-T vs I-F, as was also true for non-carcass protein (6.1, 0.0, 14.5, and 6.3 g/d) and fat (-16.3, -10.4, 13.6, and 26.3 g/d for I-F:wk 1-12, I-F:wk 1-24, I-T:wk 1-12, and I-T:wk 1-24, respectively). Based on energy concentrations in empty body tissue lost or gained in wk 1-12 and 1-24 (14.8, 12.1, 19.9, and 26.4 MJ/kg for I-F:wk 1-12, I-F:wk 1-24, I-T:wk 1-12, and I-T:wk 1-24, respectively; SE = 2.13), the energy concentration in wk 13-24 was 9.4 and 32.9 MJ/kg for I-F and I-T, respectively. In Exp. 2, fasting (5.05, 4.37, 3.16, 4.44, 4.28, and 4.54 MJ/d; SE = 0.34) and fed EE (6.48, 5.97, 4.45, 7.39, 8.44, and 8.47 MJ/d for I-F:Early, I-F:Middle, I-F:Late, I-T:Early, I-T:Middle, and I-T:Late, respectively; SE = 0.58) were influenced by initial body condition x time interactions (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the energy concentration in tissue mobilized or accreted by yearling meat goats within certain body condition ranges may not necessarily be the same and appears influenced by initial animal characteristics and subsequent feeding conditions. This project was supported by USDA Project No. 2003-38814-13923.