Fish oil supplementation as an omega-3 fatty acid source during gestation: effects on the performance of weaned male goat kids.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fish oil supplementation, as an omega-3 fatty acids source, to ration of does in the different periods of pregnancy on the fattening performance of kids after weaning. Eighty German Fawn × Hair crossbred does were randomly divided into two groups; half were given fish oil in the first half of pregnancy (FO group), while the other half were given saturated fat (PF (control) group). Then, the goats in the FO and PF groups were randomly divided into two subgroups, and half of the goats were fed fish oil during the second half of pregnancy (FO-FO and FO-PF groups), while the other half was fed saturated fat (PF-FO and PF-PF groups). Thus, study groups of kids were formed according to the nutrition program of the does described above. Forty-seven male kids (84.6 ± 2.44 days old; 14.5 ± 3.09 kg live weight, mean ± standard deviation) were fed for 56 days after weaning, and their weight, feed consumption, serum biochemical parameters, carcass performance, and meat quality characteristics were evaluated. Maternal nutrition significantly affected live weight gain and serum AST, glucose, total protein, and globulin concentrations (P ≤ 0.050). The live weight gain of kids in the PF-PF and PF-FO groups was higher than that in the FO-FO and FO-PF groups. Maternal nutrition tended to affect the hot and cold carcass weights of male kids (P = 0.078 and P = 0.084, respectively). In conclusion, fish oil supplementation during gestation could negatively affect the fattening performance of kids after weaning, especially the daily live weight gain, although it tended to positively affect hot and cold carcass weights.

PRNP gene polymorphisms in main indigenous Turkish goat breeds.

The polymorphisms of the PRNP gene influence the susceptibility to scrapie in goats. In this study, caprine PRNP gene was analysed in a total of 249 individuals from three main indigenous goat breeds of Turkey: Anatolian Black, Angora and Kilis. We focused on the Anatolian Black breed, which represents 97% of the goat population in Turkey and compared the data of samples originated from different geographical regions. Eight polymorphisms were determined, given rise to 12 haplotypes. Allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies of the polymorphisms at codons 142, 143, 146, 154, 171, 211, 222 and 240 were calculated. Alleles associated to resistance to scrapie were found to be relatively rare in all breeds. The resistance allele 222K was absent in Turkish breeds. Other resistance-associated alleles: 146D, 146S, 154H and 171R were observed with low frequencies. The results of this study, which cover the mainly bred indigenous goats in Turkey, present the distribution of PRNP polymorphisms. Very low frequencies of resistance-associated alleles show the susceptibility to scrapie. The resistance-associated alleles S and D of codon 146 might be accepted as candidate alleles, due to their relative higher frequencies observed in the present study. A breeding program aiming to increase particularly the frequency of 146S might be applied. Predictions about impacts of a long-term breeding programme based on low initial allele frequencies and regarding its possible adverse effects are warranted. Our results might be a database for future breeding programmes, which should be carefully designed with adequate levels of genetic resistance and acceptable timeframe.