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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (3): 81-88.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020162

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Effects of different apple pomace levels on lactation performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum biochemical indices and the rumen pH of Guanzhong dairy goats

Mang-li XIONG1,2(), Xu-jin WU1,2, Xiao-fu ZHU1,2, Wen-juan ZHANG1,2   

  1. 1.Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine,Xianyang Vocational Technical College,Xianyang 712000,China
    2.Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemic Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Xianyang City,Xianyang 712000,China
  • Received:2020-04-08 Revised:2020-05-25 Online:2021-03-20 Published:2021-03-09

Abstract:

This experiment investigated the effects of different apple pomace levels on lactation performance, milk quality, serum biochemical indices and the rumen pH of Guanzhong dairy goats. Fifty healthy Guanzhong dairy goats with similar weight (50.81±1.53) kg, parities (3 parities), days in milk [(125.00±2.51) d] and milk yield [(2.15±0.05) kg·d-1] were assigned to 5 groups with 10 goats per group and one goat per replicate. Goats in the five groups were fed the experimental diets which were 0 (control), 9%, 18%, 27% and 36% apple pomace. The pre-experiment diet adaptation period lasted for 10 days, and the formal experiment lasted for 60 days. It was found that: Milk yield and 4% fat corrected milk in the 18% and 27% groups were significantly higher than those of control group, 9% group and 36% group (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in dry matter intake among groups (P>0.05). No significant differences were observed in milk fat percentage, milk protein percentage and lactose percentage among groups (P>0.05). The apparent digestibility of crude protein in the 18% group was significantly higher than in the control group and the 9% group (P<0.05), while the apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber in the 18% group was significantly higher than in the control, 9% and 36% groups (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in serum total protein, serum glucose, serum triglyceride and serum urea nitrogen among groups (P>0.05). The rumen pH was decreased with increase in the proportion of supplemental apple pomace, and 9%, 18%, 27% and 36% groups all had significantly lower (P<0.05) rumen pH than the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of apple pomace improved milk yield, 4% fat corrected milk, apparent digestibility of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber, decrease the rumen pH, and improve milk quality and serum biochemical indices, which suggests that apple pomace can be used as a new type of feed resource for Guanzhong dairy goats, and the optimal supplemental level is 18%.

Key words: apple pomace, Guanzhong dairy goats, lactation performance, apparent digestibility, serum biochemical indices, the rumen pH