engleski

Monitoring saliva cortisol level in dairy goats during April, May and July in a semi-intensive rearing system

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the level of saliva cortisol in lactating goats and the heart rate depending on different environmental condition, from early spring to the summer heat in the mountainous region of Croata with a moderate climate zone (in winter the average air temperature range from -2 °C to -4 °C and in summer below 20 °C). There were included ten lactating goats (6 Saanen and 4 Alpine) that were kept confined, occasionally tethered. The barn was wooden, thermally insulated, divided into 5 equal pens devided by a wooden partititions. In each pen there were two goats on a deep hay bedding and enough space allowance per animal. Sampling of saliva was carried out in early April when the goats were kept exclusively in barn and occasionally tethered, at the end of May when they spent part of the day free for grazing, and the end of July when they spent only the night in barn. Samples of saliva were taken in the morning at 11 oʼclock, using special equipment and frozen until the analysis was performed, and heart rate was determined by palpation of a. femoralis. Samples were analysed by the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Following statistical analysis of the results, no statistically significant differences in cortisol levels and heart rate were observed during the various months of sampling. Since the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland is extremly susceptible to environmental changes, the cortisol level is considered to be a credible indicator of the ability of animals to adapt to changed environmental conditions. Based on the obtained results, it is possible to conclude that the investigated goats were kept in conditions and in a way that was not stressful to them and are almost ideal for achieving their optimal production performance and goats adapted very well to the environmental changes during different seasons.

goats, saliva, cortisol, goat keeping

Experimenat was conducted within the project „ L'optimisation des paramètres de reproduction, de génétique et de santé pour l’amélioration de la production des troupeaux de chèvres“ (Projets de recherche conjoints AUF-IFA 2016) granted by L'agence universitaire de la francophonie AUF.