Avaliação do comportamento fisiológico de caprinos da raça Saanen no Semi-árido Paraibano.

Abstract

The aim of this work is to evaluate the physiological behavior of Saanen goats breed submitted to sharp heat stress, through rectal temperature, respiratory frequency and heat tolerance test of BENEZRA parameters, in the semi-arid in different times. It was used 25 goats, 23 female goats and 2 male goats not castrated, with ages between 1,5 and 5 years-old and middle weight from 23,2 Kg to 52,1Kg. It was used random completely outlined (RCO) with two treatments (cold and heat time) with 15 and 10 repetitions in respective time. The environmental variables, Humid Bulb Temperature (HBT), Dried Bulb Temperature (DBT), Black Globe Temperature under Shadow (BGTS) and Black Globe Temperature under Sun (BGTS) in cold and heat times and Humid and Black Globe Temperature Rate (HBGTR) under shadow and sun in different times, it was registered from 10:00 am to 15:00 pm. The physiological parameters: Rectal Temperature (RT) and Respiratory Frequency (RF) were checked for three days consecutive. There were a significant effect of turn and time (P<0,05) for all environmental variables, exceptional of (HBGTR) under shadow in the morning during the time. In relation to the parameters RT and RF there were a significant effect (P<0,05) of time only after stress. The average of RT and RF after stress in heat time were higher (P<0,05) than the registered in cold time. Comparing the average of the parameters, here mentioned before and after stress, check that independent of time these rates were significantly (P<0,05) higher after stress in relation to the observed before. It was observed that, in the conditions of this experiment, the Saanen goats breed presented the ability to maintain the homeothermy, but with significant increase of respiratory rate.