Responses of Tswana goats to various lengths of water deprivation

Abstract

The aim of this trial was to determine the water intake of Tswana goats and investigate the effects of short term water deprivation in summer or winter (6000 ml water offered either once every 72 h, 48 h, 24 h or ad libitum) on feed intake, dry matter digestibility, growth rate and health. Goats were fed a diet comprising 60% Cenchrus ciliaris hay and 40% Medicago sativa hay. Feed intake per kg metabolic weight was inversely related to water intake. Body weight gains decreased with longer watering intervals, rectal temperatures were unaffected but respiratory rate, packed cell volume, pulse rate, haemoglogin level and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration was highest with the 72 h watering interval. Feed intake and daily weight gains were higher in winter than summer, but animals drank more water in summer than in winter, and showed more signs of dehydration in summer. Dry matter digestibilities (%) were 66.8, 66.7, 64.2 and 65.2 for water intake intervals of ad lib, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h respectively; digestibilities of organic matter, crude protein and crude fibre followed the same trend. Urine output, faecal output per kg metabolic weight and faecal moisture content decreased with increased length of water deprivation. It was concluded that Tswana goats are well adapted to semi-arid zones and can be watered once in 72 h without severe dehydration.

Effect of intermittent watering on dry matter intake and body weight of male Ethiopian Somali goats

“…However, there was no increase in the total amount of dry matter intake by the groups subjected to water deprivation both in the reports of Adogla-Bessa and Aganga (2000) and in our experiment. Therefore, it seems that it is not the increase in dry matter intake, but the decrease in the mean water intake with increasing watering interval, which is the cause of the decreased ratio of water to feed intake.…”

“…However, the practice can impose dehydration and physiological stress, which requires its wise implementation. Some authors (Abdelatif and Ahmed, 1994;Silanikove, 1994;Adogla-Bessa and Aganga, 2000) have reported the ability of desert-adapted ruminants to tolerate prolonged periods of water deprivation. Although goats are abundant in the arid and semi-arid regions of Ethiopia, information available on the effects of intermittent watering on animal welfare and productivity is limited.…”

The effect of environmental factors and husbandry practices on stress in goats

“…Hyperthermia is a physiological state with an elevated body temperature from causes other than infection that may have developed due to the inability of thermoregulation. According to Adogla-Bessa & Aganga (2000) Tswana goats, which is a strain/genotype of SA unimproved indigenous goats, are well adapted to semi-arid zones and can be watered once in 72 h without severe dehydration. He has however also shown that animals in the trial consumed more water in summer than in winter, and showed more signs of dehydration in summer.…”

“…Casey & van Niekerk (1988) reported on the low water turnover rates of Boer goats supporting the adaptability finding of Malan (2000). With no information to contradict this, the work done by Adogla-Bessa et al (2000), on SA unimproved indigenous goats may have relevance on the Boer goats too, showing higher water consumption and signs of dehydration during the summer.…”

Ingestive behavior and thermoregulation in sheep fed forage cactus silage undergoing intermittent water supply

“…Given the demand for potable water by the population living in arid and semi-arid regions and the low precipitation associated with a high evaporation in the recurrent periods of drought that affect these regions, many researchers (ADOGLA-BESSA; AGANGA, 2000;CASAMASSIMA et al, 2008;ALAMER, 2009;SILVA et al, 2016) have sought water supply strategies that increase the efficiency in the use of this essential and limited element for animal production.…”