Feed intake and milk yield and composition of lactating dairy goats in response to partial substitution of soybean meal for formaldehyde-treated sesame meal in the diet.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of substitution of soybean meal (SBM) for formaldehyde-treated sesame meal (FTSM) on nutrient intake and digestibility, ruminal and blood parameters and milk production and composition in lactating Murciano-Granadina goats. Forty lactating goats were randomly assigned to one of the following four treatments: (1) diet with 16.5% CP, containing SBM (CON); (2) diet with 16.5% CP, containing untreated SM (USM); (3) diet with 16.5% CP, containing FTSM (FT); and (4) diet with 14.5% CP containing FTSM (LPFT). The results showed that nutrient intake was highest in the FT group (p < 0.001), while it was similar between the CON and LPFT groups, except for the intake of CP, which was higher in the CON group. The FT and LPFT had lower ruminal pH compared to CON and USM groups (p < 0.001), with goats in group FT having the highest volatile fatty acids (VFA) production (p < 0.001). The highest propionate concentration was observed in the LPFT treatment (p < 0.001), followed by the FT, CON, and USM treatments. Goats offered USM and LPFT treatments presented the highest and lowest acetate: propionate values, respectively, among the experimental groups (p < 0.001). The results also showed that LPFT goats had the lowest blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level (p = 0.004), while FT goats presented a lower non-esterified FA (NEFA) level compared with CON and LPFT goats (p = 0.01). Goats offered the FT diet had the highest milk yield (p = 0.002) and energy-corrected milk yield (p < 0.001) among all dietary groups. The highest milk fat (p < 0.001), protein (p = 0.001), lactose (p = 0.007), total solids (p = 0.003), and solids-not-fat (SNF) (p = 0.003) contents were observed in FT goats, which didn't differ from USM goats. The inclusion of formaldehyde-treated SM increased the percentage of C18:3 (p < 0.001) and C20:1 (p = 0.04) FAs compared with USM and CON treatments. Milk from USM, FT, and LPFT goats had lower levels of saturated (p < 0.001) and medium-chain FAs (p = 0.014) compared with CON goats, whereas milk from CON goats had lower levels of unsaturated, monounsaturated, and long-chain FAs compared to other groups (p < 0.001). The lowest and the highest concentrations of polyunsaturated FAs were observed in CON and LPFT goats, respectively (p = 0.001). It can be concluded that SBM can be advantageously replaced by formaldehyde-treated SM in the diet as a feasible alternative to improve feed intake and production performance of dairy goats.