Resumo

FERNANDEZ, C. et al. Influence of betaine on goat milk production and composition. S. Afr. j. anim. sci. [online]. 2004, vol.34, n.5, pp.165-168. ISSN 2221-4062.

A study was conducted to determine the effect of the inclusion of betaine in goat diets on milk production and physical-chemical characteristics of the goat milk. Thirty lactating goats free of intramammary infection were selected from a commercial Murciano-Granadina herd. Two homogeneous groups of 15 goats were used in this trial. One group received the control diet and the other the same diet in which 4 g betaine was included per kg of the diet. The intake of the experimental diets started 15 days before parturition and samples were taken over a period of four months. After four months the milk yield of the betaine group was significantly higher, 0.16 kg/day, than that of the control group. The percentage of fat was higher in the betaine group but did not differ significantly from that of the control group. Significantly higher concentrations of short chain fatty acid (C_8:0, C_10:0, and C_12:0) were measured in the milk of the goats receiving the betaine in their diet than in the milk from the control group.

Palavras-chave : Betaine; goat; milk fatty acid.

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