Abstract

INVESTIGATION OF FLUID STATUS OF FEMALE NON-DESCRIPT INDIGENOUS CATTLE FROM ARID TRACTS OF RAJASTHAN DURING EXTREME ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURE PERIODS

Bhagat Singh Saini* and Nalini Kataria

Abstract

An investigation was carried out to assess fluid status of female nondescript indigenous cattle incorporating calves, heifers and cows from arid tracts of Rajasthan during extreme environmental temperature periods. Fluid status was assessed by measuring plasma and urine osmolalities. Apparently healthy animals were screened for blood and urine samples during comfortable, extreme hot-dry, extreme hot-humid and extreme cold environmental temperature periods. The overall mean values of plasma and urine osmolalities were significantly (p≤0.05) higher during extreme hot-humid, extreme hot-dry and extreme cold environmental temperature periods as compared to respective comfortable mean overall value. During extreme hot-humid environmental temperature period, the per cent variation was found to be maximum for plasma and urine osmolalities. It can be deduced that calves were found to be affected largely followed by heifers and cows. Among calves, calf-yearling transition divulged greater impact of all the extreme environmental temperature periods. Between heifers, pre-pubertals demonstrated higher impressions of extreme environmental temperature periods. Amongst cows, non-pregnant milch and primipara revealed elevated force of extreme environmental temperature periods. The quintessence of the present study was that extreme hot-humid period produced slow dehydration of utmost degree in the cattle with adjustments in the physiological mechanisms to an extent which can institute upsetting of health status. All the animals from calves to cows were found to be distressed with slow water-deficit in all the three extreme environmental temperature periods with highest consequences in hot-humid. On the basis of upshots of present exploration, It can be recommended that unique consideration must be paid concerning watering of the animals during cruel environmental temperature periods with adequate antioxidant supplementations. Further, animal owners must be kindled to monitor the health of non-descript indigenous cattle frequently.

Keywords: Cold, environmental temperature periods, hot-dry, hot-humid, osmolalities.