REPLACEMENT OF GOAT MILK BY CHEESE WHEY IN THE FEED OF ALPINE KIDS

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the replacement of goat milk by different levels of bovine cheese whey in the feed of Alpine kids. The animals were distributed in a completely randomized design, with 4 x 2 factorial arrangement (four levels of goat milk / cheese whey replacements: 0, 15, 30 and 45% and two sexes). The inclusion of cheese whey did not affect (P> 0.05) the weight gain of kids from 7 to 42 days of life. Kids fed with whole goat milk presented higher final weights, around 13.0 kg; consumed 490 liters of whole goat milk and obtained average gain of 137.5 g / day. In treatments with 15, 30 and 45% of cheese whey, the final weights were 11.1, 9.88 and 10.27 kg, the goat milk consumption was 416.5, 343.0 and 269, 0 liters; the cheese whey consumption was 70.35, 147.0 and 220.5 liters, and weight gains of 122.2, 100.8 and 99.5 g / day, respectively. The effect of sex (P <0.05) occurred from the 21 days of life on, without the occurrence of treatment vs sex interaction. Males were always heavier than females, with a range from 5.48 to 12.4 kilograms, while females from 4.38 to 10.6 kg. The feeding of kids with up to 45% of cheese whey is technically feasible and provides better economic returns.