Heat tolerance of goats to increased daily maximum temperature and low salinity of drinking water in tropical humid regions

OBJECTIVE

The daily maximum temperature and seawater level continuously increase as global warming continues. We examined the adaptability and production performance of heat-stressed goats with a supply of low-saline drinking water.

METHODS

Twelve Kacang and Kacang Etawah cross goats were exposed to two climatic conditions (control, 25°C to 33°C, 83% relative humidity [RH], temperature humidity index [THI]: 76 to 86; and hot environment, 26°C to 39°C, 81% RH, THI: 77 to 94) and two salt levels in drinking water (0% and 0.4% NaCl). The experimental design was a Latin Square (4×4) with four treatments and four periods (28 days each).

RESULTS

Temperature of the rectal, skin, and udder, and respiration rate rose, reached a maximum level on the first day of heat exposures, and then recovered. Plasma sodium rose at 0.4% NaCl level, while the hot environment and salinity treatments increased the drinking water to dry matter (DM) intake ratio. Water excretion was elevated in the hot environment but lowered by the increase in salinity. Total lying time increased, whereas change position frequency decreased in the hot condition. Lying and ruminating and total ruminating time increased and explained the enhanced DM digestibility in the hot conditions.

CONCLUSION

The goats exhibited a high level of plasma sodium as salinity increased, and they demonstrated physiological and behavioral alterations while maintaining their production performances under increasing daily maximum temperatures.

Effects of the concentration and nature of total dissolved solids in drinking water on feed intake, nutrient digestion, energy balance, methane emission, ruminal fermentation, and blood constituents in different breeds of young goats and hair sheep

Understanding how different livestock species and breeds respond to consumption of brackish water could improve usage of this resource. Therefore, Angora, Boer, and Spanish goat doelings and Dorper, Katahdin, and St. Croix ewe lambs (6 animals per animal type [AT]; initial age = 296 ± 2.1 days) consuming water with varying concentrations of minerals of a natural brackish water source (BR) and sodium chloride (NaCl; SL) were used to determine effects on water and feed intake, nutrient digestion, heat energy, methane emission, ruminal fluid conditions, and blood constituent concentrations. There were 6 simultaneous 6 (water treatments [WT]) × 6 (AT) Latin squares with 3-wk periods. The WT were fresh (FR), BR alone (100-BR), a similar total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration as 100-BR via NaCl addition to FR (100-SL), BR with concentrations of all minerals increased by approximately 50% (150-BR), a similar TDS level as 150-BR by NaCl addition to FR (150-SL), and a similar 150 TDS level achieved by addition of a 1:1 mixture of BR minerals and NaCl to 100-BR (150-BR/SL). Concentrations (mg/kg) in BR were 4928 TDS, 85.9 bicarbonate, 224.9 calcium, 1175 chloride, 60.5 magnesium, 4.59 potassium, 1387 sodium, 1962 sulfate, and 8.3 boron, and TDS in other WT were 209, 5684, 7508, 8309, and 7319 mg/kg for FR, 100-SL, 150-BR, 150-SL, and 150-BR/SL, respectively. There were very few significant effects of WT or AT × WT interactions, although AT had numerous effects. Water intake was affected by AT (P = 0.02) and WT (P = 0.04), with greater water intake for 150-SL than for FR, 100-BR, 100-SL, and 150-BR. Dry matter intake among AT was lowest (P < 0.05) for Angora. Digestion of organic matter and neutral detergent fiber and heat energy differed among AT (P < 0.05), but nitrogen digestion and ruminal methane emission were similar among AT. Blood aldosterone concentration was higher (P < 0.05) for FR than for other WT. In conclusion, all AT seemed resilient to these WT regardless of mineral source and concentrations, with TDS less than 8300 mg/kg, which did not influence nutrient utilization, ruminal fermentation, energy balance, or blood constituent levels.

Influence of the concentration and nature of total dissolved solids in brackish groundwater on water intake, nutrient utilization, energy metabolism, ruminal fermentation, and blood constituents in different breeds of mature goats and sheep

Brackish water is being progressively utilized in livestock farming across the globe where freshwater is scarce, potentially leading to detrimental consequences for animal health and performance. This study was conducted to determine effects of different brackish groundwater types on water and feed intake, nutrient utilization, ruminal fluid characteristics, and blood constituent concentrations in different breeds of goats and sheep in a 6 (animal types; AT) × 6 (water treatments; WT) Latin square design. Six AT (Boer, Spanish, and Tennessee Stiff-Leg does and Dorper, Katahdin, and St. Croix ewes) consumed drinking water differing in total dissolved solids (TDS) and mineral composition. Six WT were fresh water (FRW; 287 mg TDS/kg), a natural brackish water (BR) alone (100-BR; 5734 mg TDS/kg), BR with concentrations of all minerals increased by about 100 % (200-BR; 10,603 mg TDS/kg), FRW added with NaCl having similar TDS level (6654 mg/kg) as 100-BR (100-SL), FRW added with NaCl having similar TDS (12,197 mg/kg) as 200-BR (200-SL), and water with similar TDS (10,643 mg/kg) level as 200-BR by adding NaCl to 100-BR (200-BR/SL). Water treatment only affected (P < 0.05) water intake, total volatile fatty acids in ruminal fluid, blood phosphorus, blood aldosterone, and plasma osmolality. Water intake was greater (P < 0.05), but total ruminal volatile fatty acid concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) for 200-SL than other WT. Plasma osmolality and aldosterone concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) for 200-SL and 200-BR/SL than FRW. There were no significant interactions between WT and AT for any variable. Water and feed intake, digestibilities, ruminal ammonia concentration, and methane emission were similar among AT (P > 0.05). There were differences (P < 0.05) among AT for many ruminal fermentation and blood characteristics. Although there were some differences among WT, no AT seemed adversely affected by water with a TDS level near or slightly above 10,000 mg/kg regardless of mineral sources.

Impact of protein supply on the productive performance of growing lambs drinking natural saline water and fed low-quality forage under semi-arid conditions

Consuming saline water causes animals salinity stress, which leads to many adapting metabolic changes that could negatively affect its performance and the quality of the derived products. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of increasing diet protein level on the productive performance of growing lambs drinking natural saline water in Egyptian semi-arid region. Twenty-four growing Barki lambs (4-5 months old) with an initial body weight of 20.7 ± 0.25 kg were randomly distributed into four similar groups for 150 days. Two diets were formulated: low protein and high protein levels (concentrate feed mixture containing 14% and 20% crude protein (CP) on dry matter basis, respectively). Within each level of CP, natural saline water was represented by low saline (LS) and high saline (HS) water, containing 658 and 2100 mg/L of total dissolved solids, respectively. Results showed that the HS water increased (p = 0.02) water intake by about 18% and had adverse effect (p < 0.001) on dry matter intake, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance. The ruminal pH values, total volatile fatty acids, and ammonia-N concentrations were not affected by drinking the HS water. However, the protein supplementation enhanced the HS lambs' nutrients digestion and showed greater growth performance. The HS water decreased (p < 0.001) the serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and increased (p = 0.03) the urea-N by about 9%. The protein supplementation amended the serum ALT and AST concentrations of HS lambs. It is concluded that the dietary protein supply was affective sustainable management strategy against the deleterious effect of drinking high saline water on growing lambs.

Physiological, hematological, and biochemical responses in Hararghe-highland lamb subjected to water salinity levels of Lake Basaka in a semiarid area of Ethiopia

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of drinking salinity levels in Lake water on the growth performance, and physiological, and blood constituents of Hararghe-highland lambs. A total of 28 lambs (average IBW of 18 ± 1.18kg) were categorized into four levels of water salinity, namely freshwater (510 mg/l TDS), lake Basaka water (LBW; 2600mg TDS/L); lake Basaka water plus 100% TDS of LBW; 5200mg TDS/L) and lake Basaka water plus 200% TDS of LBW; 7900mg TDS/L). The current results suggest that increased total dissolved solid levels in lake water increase the water intake of lambs while not affecting IBW, FBW, AWG, and FCR. Additionally, drinking saline lake with increasing total dissolved solid levels increased rectal temperature and respiration rate and caused a significant (P < 0.05) change in the concentrations of glucose, albumin, urea, triglycerides, sodium, AST, and ALT. Some hematological variables and biochemical constituents like creatinine, total protein, cholesterol, chlorides, potassium, magnesium, and calcium showed no significant (P > 0.05) differences. In conclusion, Hararghe-highland lambs from Ethiopia could tolerate lake Basaka water with a high salt level (7952 mg/L TDS).