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Physiological responses of Friesian calves to different environmental conditions in Delta Region.
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Abstract: Physiological responses of Friesian calves, diurnal, and seasonal climatic changes, as influenced by the type of housing were studied at Sakha Experimental Station, located in the northern part of the Nile Delta, Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, and Chemical analysis and hormonal assay were conducted in Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University. The experimental work extended for two years, 1994 and 1995. It comprised two seasonal studies, the first study was executed in winter season (January and February) and the second study was conducted in summer season for two months (July and August).
Atmospheric temperature and relative humidity of the different types of housing (indoors and outdoors) were recorded.And their effects on the physiological parameters of calves such as rectal temperature, skin temperature, hair temperature and respiration rate. Beside collecting blood samples to assay the thyroid hormones in blood plasma, also to determinate hemoglobin, hematocrit and differential leukocytes count. Also the body weight gain of calves were recorded weekly.
A total of 46 healthy Friesian calves were selected randomly, 24 sucklings(14 in winter and 10 in summer) and 22 weanlings(10 in winter and 12 in summer) were used in this study.
Three housing models were used in this experiment and these models were:
1.Closed barn for suckling calves.
2.Semi-closed barn for weanling calves (group I).
3.Semi-opened barn for weanling calves (group II).
Results indicated the following :
1- There were diurnal (p<0.01), and seasonal (p<0.01) variations in R.T., R.R., S.T., and H.T. for all the experimental animals, in respect that changing in atmospheric temperature(A.T.).
2- There were no significantly differences due to housing type in the physiological responses, R.T. and R.R. of the experimental animals, with varying (A.T.).
3- Respiration rate of weanlings were higher than sucklings in summer, while in winter it was less than sucklings.
4- There were a high significant (p<0.01) correlation between atmospheric temperature and the physiological parameters of experimental animals.
5- There were seasonal variation in the blood parameters, T3, T4, hemoglobin, hematocrit and deferential leukocytes count.
6- Triiodothyronine hormone(T3) was higher in winter than in summer, while thyroxin hormone(T4) was higher in summer than in winter.
7- Hematocrit values were higher in winter than in summer, and the highest values were in sucklings under asbestos and weanlings under concrete, while the lowest ones were in the weanlings under asbestos.
8- Hemoglobin contents were higher in winter than in summer, and the highest values were in sucklings under asbestos and weanlings under concert, while the lowest ones were in the weanlings under asbestos.
9- The highest values of leukocytes types were in summer, and the lowest were in winter, except lymphocytes where it was higher in winter than in summer.
10- Lymphocytes were higher in weanlings than in sucklings during winter and summer, but neutrophils were higher in sucklings than in weanlings.
11- The temperature degrees (oC) of the experimental houses were higher at 12.00 h and 15.00 h than at 06.00 h and 22.00 h for walls, roofs, floors and ambient temperatures.
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| Publication year |
1997
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| Availability location |
مكتبة معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد - الدقى - الجيزة
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| Availability number |
615
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| Organization Name |
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| Country |
Egypt
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| Agris Categories |
Animal physiology - Nutrition
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AGROVOC
TERMS |
Cows.
Environmental factors.
Physiological requirements.
Temperature.
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| Publication Type |
Master Thesis
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