Herzfrequenzvariabilität als Stress-Indikator zur Bewertung zweier Absetzverfahren bei ökologisch aufgezogenen Ziegenlämmern

Summary

Weaning of goat kids is in many cases a psychic and physiological strain for both, kids and dams. Frequently goat kids suffer from a decline of performance, e. g. of weight gain. An alternative could be a gradually weaning considering colostral period of 1 week as well as feeding whole milk according EU-Organic-Farming regulation for a period of 45 days. The aim of the study was to compare abrupt weaning (ML) after 45 days of mother bonded rearing with restricted suckling (RL) three times per day before weaning. As a method to asses stress responses in goat kids, heart rate variability (HRV) was measured as basal values before and after weaning. The results show that the overall variability (SDNN) of heart rate variability (HRV) for RL was significantly lower at day of weaning compared to ML, as well as the parameters RMSSD and SD1.