Milk production and composition, cost and revenue variation of milk production of Saanen goats receiving rations with soybean hulls in replacement to the corn

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the milk production and composition, dry matter intake, live weight and milk production curves along lactation, as well as the cost and revenue variation of milk production of Saanen goats fed rations with soybean hulls (SBH) in replacement to the corn (0%SBH, 50%SBH and 100%SBH). Fourteen goats were used (75.17± 9.96 kg) in a completely randomized design and confined in individual pens. The rations presented 14.50% of CP and 2.57 Mcal of ME/kg DM intake. Treatments did not affect (P>0.05) live weight (LW, kg), dry matter intake (DMI, kg/day) and milk production along the lactation period. Soybean hulls can be used as a corn ground replacement in rations for lactating Saanen goats, because it did not change the DMI, LW and milk production. Moreover, it provided greater fat percentage in milk and higher ration cost margin.