Hankkija’s feed innovation Progres® is a known performance enhancer in calves. The present trial studied the effects of Progres® on the performance and health scores of goat kids. Progres® is a Finnish feed innovation, the only feed material based on coniferous rosin. The resin acids of rosin have been shown to support intestinal barrier functions by decreasing inflammation-associated breakdown of collagen (Aguirre et al., 2019).
Hankkija’s feed innovation Progres® is a known performance enhancer in calves. The present trial studied the effects of Progres® on the performance and health scores of goat kids. Progres® is a Finnish feed innovation, the only feed material based on coniferous rosin. The resin acids of rosin have been shown to support intestinal barrier functions by decreasing inflammation-associated breakdown of collagen (Aguirre et al., 2019).
The trial started with 160 male goat kids with the mean weight of 4.12 kg. The animals were randomly divided into two feeding groups: Control and Progres®, and housed in a barn in groups of 20.
The milk replacer formula Caprifit (produced by Denkavit) with or without 0.1% Progres® was fed to goat kids for five weeks. The starting concentration of the milk replacer was 200 g/l for the first week, and each week the concentration was increased by 10 g/l, until the final concentration of 230 g/l. It was noted that Progres® reduced the dustiness of the milk replacer.
The goat kids were weighed on arrival and thereafter on a weekly basis. Each feeding was registered, and the leftover feeds were weighed on a daily basis.
Benefits of Progres® in this trial:
CONCLUSION:
0.1% of Progres® in the milk replacer improved the weight gain and feed conversion of goat kids, and resulted in better conformation and lung scores. With Progres® amendment, each goat kid reaches the target weight with 400 grams less milk replacer.
Calculating with current prices, the farmer will get 1.12 € more per goat kid when the milk replacer is enforced with 0.1% Progres®.
