Management and performance of fattening lambs and goat kids in various rearing systems from Swiss dairy farms.

ABSTRACT: Many of the lambs and goat kids born annually on dairy sheep and goat farms are not needed for herd replacement and are slaughtered for meat. The goal of this study was to describe rearing and fattening systems for lambs and goat kids from dairy production in Switzerland and to assess their impact on gamma globulin serum levels, health, average daily weight gain (ADG) and mortality. Data from 543 lambs and 247 goat kids from 22 dairy sheep and 17 dairy goat farms in Switzerland was collected. All animals were examined twice (goat kids) or thrice (lambs) in visits V1, V2 and V3 and followed from birth until slaughter. The main rearing systems identified were mother-bound (MB), temporarily mother-bound (TMB) and artificial (ART) rearing. Gamma globulin serum were on average lower in lambs (e

SUBMITTER: Voigt H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12359181 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature