Adaptive profile of Garfagnina goat breed assessed through physiological, haematological, biochemical and hormonal parameters

- At high temperatures the thyroid hormones synthesis decreased while cortisol increased.
- Physiological parameters alone are not good variables to discriminate adaptive profile.
- Goats under heat stress maintained rectal temperature.
- Thyroid hormones and cortisol facilitated the understanding of the adaptive process of the animals in the semiarid.
- Seasonal changes affected blood biochemical parameters.

This study was conducted to investigate the adaptive profile of the Garfagnina goat breed in two different seasons (spring and summer) through physiological, biochemical, haematological, and hormonal parameters. Fifty adult lactating females were studied twice a day (morning and afternoon) in each season. The air temperature, black globe temperature and air relative humidity was recorded using an automatic weather station. Physiological parameters recorded were rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, skin temperature and rectal-skin temperature gradient. The results of this study showed that there was a significant effect of season and period on all environmental variables. Physiological variables, rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate and skin temperature showed higher values in the afternoon in both seasons. Both biochemical and hormonal parameters were significantly affected by season of the year. Biochemical and hormonal characteristics undergo changes during different seasons such that metabolism is reduced during heat stress and accelerated during cold stress; these metabolic changes are controlled by the thyroid hormones and cortisol. It has been shown from this study that these hormones facilitates the physiological parameters involved with the adaptation process confirming that adaptive capacity of animals cannot be described solely by rectal temperature and respiratory rate.