The present study evaluated the relationship between different dietary net energy (NE) levels and body condition score (BCS) on performance of dairy goats during the prepartum period. Forty-eight pregnant goats were kept in individual cages during the last 30 days before parturition. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments (two BCS and three levels of NE in the diet). Goats were assigned to one of two groups, based on body condition score, which was either 3.25 or below. Prepartum diets contained 1.1, 1.4 or 1.6 Mcal NE/kg DM and 13% of CP. Blood samples were collected weekly beginning 21 days before parturition and plasma analyzed for concentration of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA). Intakes of DM and NDF were lower in animals with greater BCS. However, intakes of DM and NE paralleled the increment of energy in the diet while the opposite was observed for NDF intake. As expected, feeding goats the low NE diet increased the plasma concentration of NEFA at day -14 and at parturition.
goats; intake; nonesterified fatty acids; prepartum; transition period
