Fattening kids fed either goat milk or milk replacer varying in its concentration

Two castrated male and three female kids of the Saanen-type breed Deutsche Weibetae Edelziege per treatment were fed goat milk or, starting from the third week, a commercial milk replacer for calves at concentrations of 60, 120 or 180 g powder per litre water. Kids reached the final weight of about 30 kg within 100 days when fed goat milk or milk replacer at concentrations of 120 or 180 g/l, respectively. Kids fed milk replacer at 60 g/l required 121 days for the same weight gain. The quantity of dry matter consumed per kid was about 34 kg in treatments goat milk or milk replacer at 60 or 120 g/l, respectively, but more than 40 kg, when the concentration of milk replacer was more than 180 g/l. Average consumption of concentrates in addition to liquid feed per kid was 4,5 kg in addition to goat milk and 23,6 kg, 9,9 kg or 2,2 kg in addition to milk replacer offered at concentrations of 60, 120 or 180 g/l, respectively. Castrates were slaughtered after reaching about 30 kg body weight. Total lipid concentration in empty bodies was 186 g/kg in kids fed milk replacer at 60 g/l and between 216 and 220 g/kg in kids of the other treatments. Concentrations of protein and major minerals in empty bodies were within the respective ranges reported in the literature for kids of less body weight.