Exploring Thermoregulatory Responses and Hormonal Changes in Heat Stressed Assam Hill Goats

Abstract

Background: Livestock productivity and health are adversely affected by heat stress (HS). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of HS on the thermoregulation and hormonal profile in Assam Hill Goats reared in the subtropical hilly regions of Meghalaya so as to arrive at a conclusion on its heat adaptation abilities. Methods: An experiment was conducted during the year 2022 for 120 days with twelve (12) Assam Hill Goats, aged between 3-5 months, randomly divided into 2 groups (n=6 per group). The goats in group I were exposed to HS through natural exposure to sunlight during the extreme summer months (May to August) for 07 hours (8 AM to 3 PM) during grazing. The control animals (CON, group II) were maintained under shade with no exposure to sunlight. Thermoregulatory responses viz., rectal temperature, respiratory rate and pulse rate and body weight data were recorded every 15 days interval of the sampling period. The hormonal profile viz., serum T3 (nmol/L), T4 (nmol/L) and Cortisol (ng/mL) were also determined. Result: Results revealed a significant (p less than 0.05) increase in rectal temperature, pulse rate (day 45 onwards to day 120) and respiratory rate in HS group in comparison to CON. A significantly (p less than 0.05) lower average daily gain was recorded in HS group. Serum T3 and T4 concentrations were significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced and cortisol concentration was significantly (p less than 0.05) elevated in HS group in comparison to CON. In conclusion, Assam Hill Goats exposed to environmental HS shows elevated thermoregulatory responses, decreased thyroid hormone activity and increased cortisol activity to reduce production to support life sustaining activities in the hilly regions.