The present study was carried out in Hadraba valley, Halayib and Shalateen
Research Station, belonging to Desert Research Center, South of Egypt. The study
aimed at standing on the effects of changes in seasonal environmental conditions,
on physiological, hemato-biochemical responses and growth efficiency of growing
kids throughout different seasons of the year.Kids crop of eighty female Baladi
goats were distributed randomly in the four seasons of the year (20 does! each).
Changes allover the four seasons in climatic data were studied along with live body
weight. Physiological responses, (rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR) and
heart rate (HR) ) , hematological responses ( hemoglobin (Hb). packed cell volume
(PCV)) and some blood components. ( total serum protein (TP), albumin (AL),
globulin (GL), albumin 1 globulin (NG) ratio, aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glucose, sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca),
phosphrus (P) and magnesium (Mg) ) were also studied .
The environmental conditions were found to be hot along spring, summer and
autumn, while winter could be considered as a temperate season. relative humidity
was low most of the year. The highest overall means of RT, RR and HR of kids were
in the hot seasons (summer and spring and autumn), while the lowest one were at the
cold season (winter) . Parameters increased to the plateu level on the days 15 and 30
of age and then decreased significantly with advancing age.
Hemoglobin increased in winter season than in summer .The PCV values
showed an oppisit trend. Age significantly affected the Hb and PCV values.The
values of TP were higher in spring and summer than in winter and autumn. In winter,
the GL decreased: while the AL increased. The trend was reversed in summer. Age
showed no significant effect on TP, AL, GL and NG ratio. The higher overall mean of
AST was in spring followed by autumn and summer; the lowest one was in winter.
The higher overall mean of ALT was in summer, while the lowest value was in
winter. Age significantly (P<0.01) affected AST and ALT levels in blood.
Kids showed higher glucose level in spring and summer than in winter and
autumn. Glucose level in blood was the highest (P:0.01) at birth, then decreased
gradually up to weaning. Levels of blood Na and K showed higher (P<0.01) values in
summer. autumn and spring than in winter season. In the same time levels of Ca and
P showed an opposite trend. Meanwhile, Mg did not differ due to season. Only Ca and
P increased with advancing age.
Season and sex significantly affected birth and weaning weights and daily gain.
It can be concluded that in Hadraba valley, the hot conditions of summer
season exerted heat stress on thermal balance of kids. Moreover, the kids had signs
of hemoconcentration during summer. Additionally, liver enzymes increased in
summer. Spring season could be considered the best season for raising kids in
this region as they showed highest birth and weaning weights and the lowest
mortality rate from birth to weaning age In this area.