Acta Vet. Brno 2024, 93: 47-53
Effect of melatonin on growth performance in Saanen kids
This research was conducted to determine the growth performance of Saanen kids and to reveal the effects of maternal age, type of birth (single, twin or multiple), and sex on the properties of melatonin hormone to improve their growth performance. The research was carried out at Bursa Uludag University Research and Application Center of Veterinary Medicine. The animal material for the study consisted of 35 Saanen kids. Birth weight, 30th day, 60th day, 90th day, and 120th day live weights of Saanen kids were observed as 3.29 kg, 8.02 kg, 12.68 kg, 18.41 kg, and 21.26 kg, respectively. Birth weights were affected by maternal age and sex (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between body weight and birth type. Comparisons of body weight between the 30th day melatonin-treated and 60th day melatonin-treated groups and the control group showed no significant differences. The findings underscore the potential of melatonin as a growth-promoting agent in goat farming, aligning with previous research that has demonstrated its positive effects on growth trajectories in various livestock species. Moreover, maternal age was found to positively influence birth weights, while no significant differences were observed based on the birth type. These findings contribute valuable insights into optimizing growth strategies in goat husbandry, highlighting the need for further comprehensive studies to fully elucidate the mechanisms and long-term effects of melatonin supplementation on growth and development in Saanen goats.
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Funding
The authors are grateful to Bursa Uludag University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Animal Health, Animal Production Research and Application Farm. This research was supported by Bursa Uludag University Scientific Research Project Coordinator with project number DDP(V)-2020/2-BAP within the scope of the thesis project: Effect of Different Synchronization Methods on Main Yield Properties of Saanen Goats. This article was produced from the PhD thesis subject of the first author. A summary of this study was presented as a poster presentation at the XXIII MEBC in Brno, Czech Republic.
