Magnesium utilisation by West African dwarf goats during gestation

Abstract

Twelve monoparous WAD goats aged 2-4 years and weighing 15 ± 1.2kg were used in a 20 wk gestation trial to study the effect of dietary inclusion of Mg supplementation at 0.01, 0.11 and 0.21% with MgSO₄.7H₂O in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets. The does were synchronised and pregnant does were randomly allotted into each of the three groups of four animals. Results showed that Mg supplementation had a significant (P < 0.05) effect on feed intake, body weight change, birth weight, Mg-intake, faecal-Mg, urine-Mg, and serum-Mg. The general trend was that increasing dietary Mg inclusion decreased DMI, BW change, birth weight but an increase in Mg excretions. The mean values for the DMI were 820, 650 and 470 g/d while those of BW change were 27.8, 25.7 and 16.0g/d. Birth weight was significantly (P < 0.05) stimulated with mean values 2.7, 2.8 and 1.7 kg. Wider variations (P< 0.05) of 82.0, 715 and 987 mg/d were observed for Mg-intake while non­ significant (P>0.05) differences of values 27.4, 26.9 and 28.1 mg/d Mg-balance were noted. The mean values for digestibility coefficient and blood serum Mg were 47.3, 17.5 and 15.8; and 1.7, 2.5 and 3.4 mg/100 ml respectively.

Key words: Magnesium, gestating goats