In the work, we studied different weaning technologies for goat kids in different breeds and production systems. We also studied the different effects of early weaning on kid growth, milk yield and animal welfare. Early weaning increases farm profitability because farmers sell more milk than late weaning, according to growth records, the highest daily gain to weaning was observed in kids of the Slovenian Alpine breed (196 g/day), compared to the kids of Slovenian Sannen breed (190 g/day) and the Boer breed (177 g/day). According to the literature, early weaned kids of the Sannen, Toggenburg, and Alpine breeds reached weight 30 kg later than late weaned kids and had lower daily gain (98 g/day) than the late weaned kids (137 g/day), but despite the difference in weaning time, they eventually reached the same weight and gain as late weaned kids. Early-weaned kids consumed less milk than late-weaned, resulting in fewer digestive problems, but early consumption of solid feed resulted in earlier development of reticulorumen. Early weaning of two days of age resulted in highest milk production (520 kg) and longer lactation (297 days) compared to the goats weaned at 70 days (395 kg) and shorter lactation (263 days). The results of the study show that the bacterial concentration in the rumen of kids reaches a lever similar to that of adults as early of the first week of life. At weaning, there were no differences in bacterial concentration between early weaned al later weaned kids, but one month after weaning , differences became apparent, with later weaned kids having higher bacterial concentration than early weaned kids. Early weaned kids are usually raised with a milk replacer with an automatic feeder.
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