Evaluation of Concentrate Supplementations of Grazing Kalahari Red Does on Udder and Teat Morphometry from Pregnancy till Kidding

A study was conducted to investigate effects of concentrate diets supplementation at three different protein levels of Kalahari Red does grazed on Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) on their udder and teat morphometry from 9th week of pregnancy till kidding in South-Western Nigeria. Thirty-three matured primiparous Kalahari Red does with age range of 2 to 21/2 years whose average body weight was 38.10±1.13kg were randomly allotted to 3 treatment groups of 11 does per treatment. Dietary concentrate diets with crude protein levels of 12.42% (LPD i.e. 124.93gday-1), 14.18% (MPD i.e. 145.87gday-1) and 16.35% (HPD i.e. 168.19gday-1) were fed to the does at 3% of their body weight after mating till kidding. Data on udder measurements such as Udder Length, Udder Circumference, Udder Width, Udder Volume, Distance between Teats, Teat Height from Ground, Teat Length, Teat Width and Teat Circumference were taken on the does starting from 9th to 22nd weeks of pregnancy using graduated flexible canvas tape. It was observed at the end of the study that Kalahari Red does fed MPD had better increment in size (from weeks 9 to 22) for all udder measurements such as udder length (10.21cm), udder width (8.79cm), udder circumference (28.76cm), and udder volume (2440.46 cm3) compared to other dietary treatments. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of grazing pregnant Kalahari Red does with concentrate diet containing 14.18% CP improved best the udder parameters.