Influência do sexo e número de crias por parto no ganho de peso de cabritos leiteiros

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of sex and number of kids per birth on the weight gain of dairy goats. The study was carried out in the goat sector, at the Department of Animal Science, at the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. A total of 45 kids were born, 18 males and 27 females, from 27 Saanen females. The number of kids (two and three) per birth was considered. On the second day of life, the animals were separated from the mothers and introduced into the artificial feeding system. The animals were weighed at birth, on the 10th, 45th and 60th days, on a digital scale. Analyzes of variance and the comparison of means by the Tukey test at 5%. Influence (P <0.05) of the number of kids per birth on birth weight, weight at 10, 45 and 60 days of life, mean weight gain and total weight gain of the animals were verified. There was an effect (P <0.05) of brood sex on birth weight and weight at 10, 45 and 60 days. It is concluded that the number of animals born per birth and sex influence the birth weight and the weight gain of the animals up to 60 days in Saanen animals submitted to artificial feeding.