Some Physiological Responses in Nubian Goats Exposed to Heat load

Goats make a very valuable contribution for most of rural area. This study was conducted to know some responses of Nubian goats when it exposed to thermal stress in the natural pasture. Twelve Nubian goats were used in the study and divided into two groups: group (A) Goats under the sun and group (B) Goats under shadow. Physiological parameters (rectal temperature, respiratory rate and pulse rate) were determined in both, goats under the sun and goats under shadow. Blood samples were collected from each goat at the last day of the experiment. Hemoglobin concentration (Hb), packed-cell volume (PCV), red blood cells count (RBCs) and total white cells (TWBCs) were determined using the standard laboratory methods. Rectal temperature did not vary between the goats under the sun and the goats under shadow. Respiratory rate and pulse rate varied significantly (p<0.05) between the two group. Goats under the sun registered significantly higher values for respiratory rate (37.28+8.90 breaths/min) and pulse rate (84.78+4.42 beats/min) compared with goats under shadow (26.83+5.69, 77.06+3.67), respectively. Hb, PCV, RBCs count and TWBCs did not vary significantly between the goats under the sun and the goats under shadow. It was concluded that, Nubian goats adapted to the AlBtana environment.