Efficiency of goat milk utilisation by milk-fed kids

Abstract

The energy balance for goat milk-fed kids was measured by the comparative slaughter method. The efficiency of utilisation of metabolisable energy (ME) for growth (45%) was very much lower than that for lambs or calves. The maintenance energy requirement for the kids was 470 kJ/kg^0.75 per 24 h, similar to that for other young ruminants. Multiple regression analysis showed there was a high energy cost for fat synthesis.