Impact of different feeding systems on cost-effectiveness and Eimeria spp. infections in Canarian goat kids

Abstract Rearing strategies are key factors in the overall success of goat enterprises. In order to investigate the cost-benefit ratio of alternative methods for rearing and the impact on the course of Eimeria infections, 36 Canarian goat kids were subjected to three different regimes under field conditions. Two groups of animals were naturally reared with their mothers, feeding goat milk until weaning at 6 (Early weaning, EW) and 9 weeks of age (Traditional weaning, TW). In the remaining group, goat kids were artificially reared with a milk replacer until 9 weeks of age (Artificial feeding, AF). Coprological analysis were performed weekly to determine Eimeria oocyst shedding and, with the same frequency, changes in body weights and faecal consistency were recorded. Goat kids from group TW showed the best growth rate, while growth performance of groups EW and AF were statistical similar. Besides, compared to group TW, EW and AF management practices resulted in an overall increase of about 40 % and more than 100 % of the total number of oocysts excreted until the end of the experiment (week 15), respectively. Although the three experimental groups were infected with the same Eimeria species, differences in their oocysts excretion kinetics, including those of most pathogenic species, were observed throughout the experiment, indicating that the type of rearing may affect the outcome of underlying coccidiosis in the farm. Finally, the economic analysis determined that, mainly conditioned by the market price of goat milk, total operating costs per goat kid from groups EW (56.37 €) and AF (48.63 €) systems were considerably lower than those obtained in group TW (96.32 €). The selection of the former two rearing systems should be conditioned though to the use of management strategies preventing coccidiosis outbreaks.