Abstract:
This study aims to evaluate the daily milk yield of WAD goat in southern of Benin and to
estimate the effect of parity, litter size and postpartum weight on the milk yield. Twenty-four
goats in an advanced state of pregnancy were grouped together and taken to the station. Their
milk yield was measured every ten (10) days up to 90 days postpartum by the technique of
double weighing before and after suckling the kids combined with milking under oxytocin. The
Generalized Linear Models (Proc GLM) procedure of SAS (Statistical Analysis System, 9.2) was
applied to the data, with fixed effects consisting of litter size, lactation number and postpartum
weight of the doe. The results indicate the initial yield obtained on D5 is 285.03±12.51 g. The
average daily peak milk yield is 443.23±51.17g and the average peak day is 14.67±0.93. The
average daily milk yields are respectively 348.35±31.17g/d, 298.82±25.40g/d, 247.68±21.09 g/d,
215.36±18.10 g/d, 127.99±10.91 g/d for the periods D5 to D30, D5 to D60, D5 to D90, D30 to
D60 and D60 to D90. Only litter size has a significant effect on milk production, which however
increases with litter size, postpartum weight and parity (up to parity 4). The milk yield of the
WAD goat will be improved by taking into account these influencing factors.
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