In this century,
climate change is one of the major problems affecting
livestock productivity. This study aimed at evaluating the effect of body coat
color pattern and
sex on
heat regulation and
heat stress tolerance in indigenous
goat breeds exposed to
solar radiation. In the experiment, 4 bucks and 4 does (8 to 9 months age) with black,
white, grey and browncoat
color were selected and exposed to
solar radiation during 12 days during the summer period.
Water and feed were served add libitum. The
consumption were measured daily at 1700 for each
animal. Rectal
temperature (RT) and rate
pulse (PR) were measured three-
time (700, 1200, and 1700) every day on each
animal during the experimental period. At the end of the experiment,
blood samples were collected from the
jugular vein and immediately delivered to the lab to determinebiochemical (
serum protein albumin and
globulin), and hematological
parameters. Exposing
goats to
temperature variation affected the physiological, hematological as well as biochemical
parameters in all subjects. The
female with a black body coat
color was mostly affected. The
heat stress induced an increase of RT and PR, an increase in waterconsumption while
depression in
food intake was observed.
Blood platelets,
hematocrits, red
cell distribution,
white blood cell and
albumin were damaged in
goats with black coat
color compared to
goats with
white coat
color. These variations in physiological, hematological and biochemical
parameters in
female black
goat could
affect its productive and reproductive performances in high-
temperature environments.