Alleviation of the heat load on lactating goats with the use of diuretics and drinking cool water.

The effect was studied of different heat loads connected with the application of diuretics and of 10 to 15 degrees C drinking water on the milk production and some related physiological parameters of 19 Egyptian Baladi goats under experimental conditions. The increase in heat stress increased the respiration rate, rectal temperature, and serum prolactin concentration significantly, while it significantly decreased the milk production, the content of alkaline, and acid phosphatases creatinine, urea, red blood cells, and haemoglobin concentration. The diuretic Thiameterine and cool drinking water under hot conditions improved the milk yield and had a positive effect on the physiological status of the animals, especially their blood composition. The higher mill production by the goats (14.7% in the experiment) is attributed to the increased feed uptake caused by the treatments.

Some hormonal characteristics of high and low yielding Holstein cows and water buffaloes located in temperate and subtropical environments.

The present study was carried out on 18 Holstein cows located in Missouri, USA (Holstein-M), 32 Holstein cows located in Egypt (Holstein-E), and 32 Egyptian water buffaloes (Buffaloes-E). Half of each group was high yielders and the other half was low with a mean daily milk yield of 32.2 and 18.6 kg for Holstein-M, 14.6 and 6.7 kg for Holstein-E, and 7.2 and 1.8 kg for Buffaloes-E, respectively. Blood samples were collected after the morning milking. Mean plasma thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations were significantly higher in Holstein-M than those in Holstein-E or Buffaloes-E. In all animal groups, the high yielders generally had lower plasma thyroxine and antidiuretic hormone but higher plasma triiodothyronine contents than the low yielders. Buffaloes had lower plasma cortisol and 9-fold higher plasma antidiuretic hormone as compared with the two Holstein groups.