Effect of Thermo-Insulated Kid Barrel on Behavioral, Physiological Responses, and Morphometric Growth Performance of Winter-Born Black Bengal Goat Kids during Pre- and Post-Weaning Periods

This study assessed the effect of a thermo-insulated kid barrel (KB) on the behavioral, physiological, and morphometric growth performance of winter-born Black Bengal goat kids. Two groups were studied: one group was housed in a goat shed without a thermo-insulated kid barrel (control group), while the other group was housed in a shed with a thermo-insulated kid barrel (kid barrel group). Each group consisted of six kids along with their mothers. Due to the lack of independent replication, the results are presented descriptively. During the winter, microclimatic conditions inside the KB were consistently warmer than those in the goat shed. Kids in the kid barrel group spent 60% of their time inside the KB during the pre-weaning period. Morphometric traits of the kids were better in the kid barrel group compared to the control group during both pre- and post-weaning periods. Additionally, post-weaning feed intake was higher in the kid barrel group. In conclusion, providing a thermo-insulated kid barrel as an ancillary housing structure during winter improved the overall performance of goat kids..