Effect of feeding level during the prepubertal phase on mammary gland development in female goat kids.

The experiment reported in this research communication aimed to determine the effects of post-weaning feeding level after early weaning on mammary parenchyma development in Alpine goats. Thirty Alpine female goat kids were weaned early (at around 9.8 kg and 32 d of age) and fed different levels of concentrate: Control (C, 730 g DM/d, n = 10), Low (L, 365 g DM/d, n = 10) or High (H, 1090 g DM/d, n = 10) until 235 d of age with ad libitum hay and water. Half of the goat kids were slaughtered before puberty (at around 208 d of age) and half at midgestation (at around 308 d of age and 70 d of gestation) for mammary parenchyma sampling. A histological analysis, Western blot and DNA quantification were performed. Blood samples were taken before puberty and at midgestation to determine plasma levels of IGF-I and prolactin. The mammary gland weights before puberty and at midgestation were positively and significantly associated with concentrate level. However, the organization of the mammary parenchyma and protein expression and quantity of DNA in the parenchyma were similar among the three groups. Before puberty, prolactin and IGF-I concentrations were significantly increased by the feeding level. In conclusion, feeding level after early weaning did not impact mammary parenchyma structure although it modified the weight of the mammary gland. The establishment of the mammary gland was not impacted by rearing management before puberty. Hence, increasing the feeding level during the rearing period could be an interesting way to increase the body development of goats without impairing mammary development whilst having a positive impact on reproductive parameters such as litter weight.