Interactions between Social Hierarchy and Some Udder Morphometric Traits upon Colostrum and Milk Physicochemical Characteristics in Crossbred Dairy Goats

Ma. Silvia Castillo-Zuñiga, César A. Meza-Herrera, Guadalupe Calderón-Leyva, Nicolas López-Villalobos, Cayetano Navarrete-Molina, Jorge A. Bustamante-Andrade, Pablo I. Sifuentes-Lamónt, Jessica M. Flores-Salas and Francisco G. Véliz-Deras
Additional contact information
Ma. Silvia Castillo-Zuñiga: Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
César A. Meza-Herrera: Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Bermejillo 35230, Durango, Mexico
Guadalupe Calderón-Leyva: Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
Nicolas López-Villalobos: Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 442, New Zealand
Cayetano Navarrete-Molina: Universidad Tecnológica de Rodeo, Departamento de Química, Área Tecnología Ambiental, Rodeo 35760, Durango, Mexico
Jorge A. Bustamante-Andrade: Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Facultad de Agricultura y Zootecnia, Venecia 35111, Durango, Mexico
Pablo I. Sifuentes-Lamónt: Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
Jessica M. Flores-Salas: Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón 27054, Coahuila, Mexico
Francisco G. Véliz-Deras: Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Unidad Laguna, Periférico Raúl López Sánchez y Carretera a Santa Fe, Torreón 27054, Coahuila, Mexico

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: The possible relationship between udder morphometric variables (UMVs), chemical quality (CHQ) of both colostrum (CA), and milk (MK), as affected by goat’s social rank (SR) (i.e., low-LSR, or high-HSR), was assessed. In late June, goats (Alpine–Saanen–Nubian x Criollo; n = 38; 25° N) were estrus-synchronized and subjected to a fixed-time artificial insemination protocol. Thereafter, in October, while a behavioral study was performed in confirmed-pregnant goats to define the SR classes ( n = 15), live weight (LW), body condition (BCS), and serum glucose (GLUC) were registered on the last day of the behavioral study. The expected kidding date was 25 November. Both the UMVs (i.e., seven dates) and the CHQ (i.e., either one for CA and three times for MK) were collected across time (T). The UMVs involved udder perimeter (UDPER, cm), udder diameter (UDDIA, cm), left-teat (LTPER, cm) and right-teat perimeter (RTPER, cm), left-teat (LTLT, cm) and right-teat length (RTLT, cm), left-teat diameter (LTDIA, cm) and right-teat diameter (RTDIA, cm), and medium suspensory ligament (MSL, cm). The registered CHQ variables for both CA and MK were fat (FAT), protein (PRO), lactose (LAC), nonfat solids (NFS), freezing point (FP), and total solids (TS). The possible effect of SR, T, and the SR × T interaction upon the described response variables was tested. While LW favored the HSR goats (54.6 vs. 48.2 ± 1.7 kg; p < 0.05), neither BCS nor GLUC differed ( p > 0.05) between SR. An SR × T interaction affected ( p < 0.05) most UMVs (i.e., UDPER, MSL, LTLT, RTLT, LTDIA, and RTDI). UMV differences were associated with both changes across time and between SR. Whereas RTLT, LTDIA, RTDIA, and MSL showed their highest values one week prior to kidding, the largest UDPER values ( p < 0.05) occurred within the week of kidding. Additionally, HSR goats showed increased values regarding UDPER, MSL, and LTLT. No differences ( p < 0.05) between SR occurred regarding the CA-CHQ (i.e., FAT, PRO, LAC, NFS, FP, and TS). Still, an SR x T interaction affected ( p < 0.05) the MK content of FAT, PRO, and NFS; while the largest values ( p < 0.05) occurred on Day 7 postpartum, the other MK constituents decreased as the lactation advanced. Further, the HSR goats showed an enlarged MK-CHQ (i.e., FAT, PRO, and NFS). HSR goats merged some central behaviors such as aggressiveness, assertiveness, and supremacy to have primacy to feed access, augmenting their LW. Whereas said bodyweight advantage was not reflected upon in CA-CHQ, HSR goats augmented some morphological udder values (i.e., UDPER, MSL, and LTLT) and produced the best MK-CHQ (i.e., > FAT, > PRO, and > NFS) during early lactation. Therefore, both social rank (i.e., HSR goats), as well as the temporal transition stage from the last third of pregnancy to the first phase of lactation (i.e., time), operated as important modulators upon both udder architecture and milk quality in crossbred dairy goats under a dry-semiarid production system.

Keywords: goats; udder development; colostrum and milk quality; social dominance; live weight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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