Lactation Pattern and Milk Composition of Sheep and Goats in Malawi

Abstract

The pattern of lactation and the composition of milk of local goats (LL) Boer goats (BB) and their crossbreds (BL) and of local sheep (LL), Dorper sheep (DD) and their crossbreds (DL) were studied over two seasons of kidding/lambing for the first 12 weeks of lactation. Stage of lactation significantly (P<0.01) affected the pattern of lactation. The milk yields of goats increased from 1021 plus/minus 35 to a maximum of 1123 plus/minus 35g at Two weeks and decreased thereafter to 795 plus/minus 35 at the end of the measurement period at 12 weeks (P<0.001). The daily yields of sheep, on the other hand, decreased from 819 plus/minus 20 g at the beginning of the lactation to 559 plus/minus 20 g at the end. The differences between the species and at all stages of lactation were highly significant (P<0.001). The overal mean levels of total solids, fat, solids-non-fat (SNF), ash, protein, lactose and energy for goats were 17.4%, 6.8%, 10.6%, 0.88%, 4.5%, 4.7% and 4.44 MJ/kg, respectively. The respective values for sheep were 18.3%, 6.0%, 12.3%, 0.94%, 5.2%, 4.9% and 4.39 MJ/kg. There were significant species differences (P<0.001) in all the variables except energy content. It is concluded that goats may be the more suitable species to be used for milk production due to their better lactational performance.

UNISWA Research Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol 3 (1) 1999: pp 85-88