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

Ali, Asep Indra Munawar; Sandi, Sofia; Warly, Lili; Fariani, Armina; Pratama, Anggriawan Naidilah Tetra; Darussalam, Abdullah

doi:2024.37.6.1130

Anim Biosci > Volume 37(6); 2024 > Article

Article

Environment and Management

Animal Bioscience 2024;37(6): 1130-1139.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.23.0288 Published online January 20, 2024.

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

Asep Indra Munawar Ali^1,*

, Sofia Sandi¹

, Lili Warly¹

, Armina Fariani¹

, Anggriawan Naidilah Tetra Pratama¹

, Abdullah Darussalam²

¹Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sriwijaya, South Sumatra, 30662, Indonesia
²National Research and Innovation Agency, Jakarta, 10340, Indonesia

Correspondence: Asep Indra Munawar Ali, Tel: +62-813-6757-2823, Email: asep_ali@fp.unsri.ac.id

Received: 4 August 2023 • Revised: 5 September 2023 • Accepted: 11 November 2023

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Behavior; Goat; Heat Stress; Maximum Temperature; Saline Drinking Water