Locally adapted goats efficiently gain and lose heat in an equatorial semi-arid environment
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Locally adapted goats efficiently gain and lose heat in an equatorial semi-arid environment Josiel Ferreira 1 & Robson Mateus Freitas Silveira 2 Débora Andréa Evangelista Façanha 1
&
José Ernandes Rufino de Sousa 1
&
Received: 13 June 2019 / Revised: 27 May 2020 / Accepted: 22 June 2020 # ISB 2020
Abstract The aim of this study was to gain insights in respect to how locally adapted goats exhibit dynamic body heat in an equatorial semiarid environment. Ten Canindé goats were used in the study (22.90 ± 2.70 kg). Respiratory rate (RR; min breaths−1), rectal temperature (RT; °C) and sweating rate (SR; g m−2 h−1) were measured for 8 days, once a week, for 8 consecutive weeks in each animal, with collection intervals of 1 h throughout the day (24 h), together with the meteorological variables. Air temperature (AT, °C) and relative humidity (RH, %) were measured, and then, the temperature humidity index (THI) was calculated. First, we determined 2 days with stressful climatic conditions and similar environmental characteristics (day 1 and 2) among the 8 experimental days. The RT was evaluated on these 2 days using the means of each hour as the cut-off point, and determining whether the animals are efficient (EF) or inefficient (INEF) in heat loss (β1) and gain (β2). The RT was separated in β1 and β2 for 24 h, setting times to obtain the angular coefficients (β) for both. The days with stressful climatic conditions and similar environmental characteristics were day 1 and 2. The hours in which the Canindé goats gained and lost heat were respectively 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. The animals classified as EF lost more or equal the amount of heat represented for RT. When the mean of all animals was evaluated for efficiency in heat control, the flock was classified as EF. Differences (P < 0.05) were observed for RR and SR between periods. The efficiency in dynamic body heat of the locally adapted goats in this study was determined and showed that the flock as a whole possesses an excellent heat dynamic in an equatorial semi-arid environment. Keywords Adaptabilidade . Canindé goats . Black hair . Rectal temperature . Thermal stress
Abbreviations AT Air temperature EF Efficient goats β1 Heat loss β2 Heat gain INMET Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia NEF Inefficient goats RH Relative humidity
RR RT SR THI UFERSA
Respiratory rate Rectal temperature Sweating rate Temperature humidity index Federal Rural University of the Semi-arid Region
Introduction * Josiel Ferreira [email protected] * Robson Mateus Freitas Silveira [email protected] 1
Department of Animal Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-arid Region (UFERSA), Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte 59625900, Brazil
2
Department of Animal Science, State University of Valley Acaraú (UVA), Sobral, Ceará 62040370, Brazil
Climate change is likely to be a major threat to the viability and sustainability of livestock production (Scholtz et al. 2013), mainly in arid and semi-arid regions. The dynamic adaptation of ruminant
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