Effect of vitamin E and selenium and different types of milk on health and growth of organic goat kids

Summary

Newborn goat kids are low in blood levels of vitamin E and selenium. Not known is how this affects health and growth of the kids. In a study on an organic farm 40 kids were allotted to 4 groups. Parenteral administration of 0.5 ml vitamin E and selenium solution (treated groups) or 0.5 ml salt solution (placebo) at the day of birth was combined with powdered full goat milk or goat milk replacer during the raising period.
The milk-groups were housed in one group. Housing conditions and additional feed were the same for all groups. Blood samples were taken at days 0, 31 and 102. Kids were weighed at blood sampling days and at day 14. Health and medical treatments were recorded by the farmer.
In goat milk selenium content was 116 µg/kg and vitamin E was 1.5 mg/kg while milk replacer contained 682 µg/kg and 102.7 mg/kg resp. Health did not differ between groups and number of treatments were low. No kids were lost till day 31 indicating a good farm management. Blood GSH-Px and vitamin E values in treated groups and in milk replacer groups were significantly higher than in placebo groups and goat milk groups at day 31 but not at day 102. The average daily gain in the first 14 days, the first 31 days and over the whole period of 102 days was 181, 181 and 165 grams. Treated groups gained on averages 10 grams more a day than the placebo groups, milk groups did not differ in daily weight gain. Although blood levels are different between treated and between milk groups, no relevant differences in health and weight occurred under well managed farm conditions.