Copyright © 2016 J. Agr. Biotechnol.  DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20936/JAB/160104 *Address reprint requests to Dr. Rameez Raja Kaleri, Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Pakistan. E-mail: rameezkaleri@gmail.com ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effect of Milk Replacer on the Growth of Goat Kids Ali Ghulam Bugti, Hubdar Ali Kaleri, Mujahid Ali Shah, Sher Zaman, Mir Azeem Iqbal1, Abdul Khalique Samo, Naqash Goswami, Rameez Raja Kaleri* Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam INTRODUCTION Feeding and management practices have profound impacts on mortality, morbidity and growth of the young kids. The kid’s growth and health depends on the management and nutrition. Various liquid feed sources nourish the kids after feeding frst colostrum’s and transition milk. Milk replacers are very good sources of liquid feed for kids. They are often very economical. While conducting experiments on milk replacers and whole milk it was found that equalisingthe gross composition of milk replac- ers to that of whole milk did not equalize the growth of kids between diets. Appropriate and ample supply of nutrients for kids through liquid feed (whole milk and milk replacer) is essential for performance and welfare. Because of the digestive limitations of kids less than 3 weeks of age, ingredients formulation is critical to allow for adequate digestion, proper growth and performance. Therefore, milk replacers must be formulated with ingredients processed for the underdeveloped digestive system of the young kids. Within the few weeks of age, the ability of the kids to digest various feedstuffs improves dramatically as its enzyme production increases and diversifes. The nutritional availability of protein and energy sources used for milk replacer is a key factor in determin- ing the outcome of the feeding program based on the source of feed used. The meat of suckling goat kids (fed solely with goat milk or milk replacer) is highly valued. The kids are usually sepa- rated from their mothers, and fed with milk replacer for slaughter at less than 8 kg to provide meat. These milk replacers are normal- ly based on cow’s milk, cereals and vegetable fat. This reduces feed costs and increases the growth of the kids. However, some farm- ers choose to feed the kids with natural goat milk, believing that this increases meat quality. Acidity milk replacer has been widely used in rearing young calves and kids, with advantages of reduc- ing milk feeding and labour costs and simplifying management. Kids fed with cow milk replacer can grow as rapidly as kids given goat or cow milk. Milking ability of the dam can greatly infuence the opportunity of kids to express growth potential; therefore, hand-rearing eliminates such maternal effects. However, infor- mation is lacking on how performance of Boer crosses compares with Spanish goat kid performance during the pre-weaning period under identical feeding and management conditions, such as with feeding of milk replacer. A kid consuming in excess of 600 ml of milk in one feeding isconsidered fully trained and was then abruptly switched to feeding of 100% milk replacer. A commer- cial acidifed goat milk replacer used, having a guaranteed analy- sis of not less than 23% CP and 30% fat, and containing dried whey and whey protein concentrate as CP sources and vegetable KEYWORDS goat kids, kids feed, milk replacer, whole milk, powder ABSTRACT The study was performed to investigate the effect of milk replacer on growth of young kids during 2012 in Balochistan (District Quetta and Jaffarabad). Six goat kids were managed under two feeding systems. Out of six, three kids were fed on milk replacer (Group A), while remaining three kids were managed under whole milk (Group B). The comparative effect of milk replacer and whole milk was investigated on weekly body weight and fnal body weight after completion of 4 weeks. The results showed that the fnal body weight of after 4 weeks of kid No. 1 fed on milk replacer was 6 kg while the fnal weight of kid No. 1 managed on whole milk was 6.5 kg. Similarly, the fnal body weight after 4 weeks of kid No. 2 fed on milk replacer was 5.5 kg while the fnal weight of kid No. 2 managed on whole milk was 6.4 kg. Likewise, the fnal body weight after 4 weeks of kid No. 3 fed on milk replacer was 5.8 kg while the fnal weight of kid No. 3 managed on whole milk was 6.6 kg per kid. However, the average fnal body weight after 4weeks of all kids under milk replacer was 5.77 kg while the average fnal body of kids managed on whole milk was 6.5 kg. This indicates that the average body weight of kids managed on whole milk was higher (6.5 kg per kid) as compared to the kids managed on milk replacer with 5.77 kg average body weight after 4 weeks. It was concluded that the average fnal body weight after 4 weeks of all kids under milk replacer was 5.77 kg. The average fnal body of kids managed on whole milk was 6.5 kg. The average body weight of kids managed on whole milk was higher (6.5 kg per kid) as compared to the kids managed on milk replacer with 5.77 kg average body weight after 4 weeks. There was a minor difference in fnal body weight between kids managed on milk replacer and whole milk; which suggested that milk replacer can be used to feed goat kids. Received: 15 May 2016 – Accepted: 21 June 2016 – Published: 15 July 2016