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Thermoregulatory capacity of goat kids from birth to weaning in a dry hot climate
This study aimed to evaluate the thermoregulatory capacity and performance of Saanen goat kids from birth to weaning in a hot climate. Twelve newborn males and female goat kids with an initial body weight of 4.17 ± 0.81 kg were used. Physiological responses, climatic variables, and biometric traits...
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Published in: | Tropical animal health and production 2023-06, Vol.55 (3), p.217-217, Article 217 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | This study aimed to evaluate the thermoregulatory capacity and performance of Saanen goat kids from birth to weaning in a hot climate. Twelve newborn males and female goat kids with an initial body weight of 4.17 ± 0.81 kg were used. Physiological responses, climatic variables, and biometric traits data were collected. Univariate and multivariate analysis techniques were used. Heart rate (
H
R
) was high up to the 6th week of life, with a reduction from the 7th week on (
P
< 0.001). Rectal temperature (
R
T
) was lower in the first 2 weeks (
P
< 0.001), with an increase and stabilization occurring in the 7th and 8th weeks. Coat surface temperature (
S
T
) was more activated from the 5th week onwards (
P
< 0.001). Body weight (
B
W
) and withers height (
W
H
) were higher in later weeks of the calving phase with a linear effect (
P
< 0.001). The first principal component demonstrated the relationship of sensible heat dissipation × body area of the goat kids; the second component shows the relationship of meteorological data with
R
T
, having a positive relationship between
R
T
with
R
H
and negative with
A
T
, and the third component points to the association of
R
R
and
H
R
. Of the animals, 81.3% were correctly classified in their group of origin in discriminant canonical analysis, with emphasis on the classification of the kids in the 1st–2nd and 3rd–4th weeks (classification percentage Ʃ = 95.8%). It is concluded that (
i
) newborn kids activate latent mechanisms to maintain their homoeothermic during the first 2 weeks of life, and as they grow, they use sensitive heat loss processes, especially from the 5th week of life onwards and (
ii
) male and female goats do not show sexual dimorphism effect on body performance and body morphometric measurements up to 60 days of life. |
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ISSN: | 0049-4747 1573-7438 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s11250-023-03626-z |