EFFECTS OF WATER DEPRIVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE ON BLOOD CONSTITUENTS OF DESERT GOATS

Twenty eight Sudan Desert goats were used in these trials to study the effects of water deprivation and environmental temperature on blood constituents. The trial was laid out as randomized complete block design (RCBD). The experimental period lasted for 10 months. The result showed that Desert goat's PCV% was highest during winter and lowest during summer. Goats had the highest (P<0.001) Hb% during summer compared with rainy and winter seasons. Goats’ highest plasma Ca levels were recorded during summer, and the lowest levels were during winter. Goat plasma P concentrations followed an opposite trend being highest (P<0.01) during winter season and lowest (P<0.01) during rainy. Seasonal main effects on blood metabolites were highly significant (P<0.01). The highest (P<0.001) goat's blood protein was during summer season, followed its values during rainy season and the lowest values (P<0.001) was during winter. Blood albumin levels were highest (P<0.001) for rainy season whereas blood glucose levels were highest (P<0.01) during winter season and lowest (P<0.01) during the rainy season. Blood protein, blood albumin and blood glucose levels were relatively higher (P>0.05) for goats under shade compared with those under direct sunlight. Goat’s watered everyday had slightly lower blood protein and albumin and slightly higher blood glucose in comparison with goats watered every other day.