Effect of salinity and water restriction on blood metabolites of Arbia goats in Algeria

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the effect of water stress on the blood metabolites of Arbia goats in Algeria. Four groups of ten billy goats each were randomly assigned to different watering regimes: group 1 (control) had free access to spring water (three liters), groups 2 and 3 received the same water enriched with two and five grams of sodium chloride per liter, respectively, and group 4 only had access to 25% of the amount of water given to the control group. At the end of the experimental period, blood samples were taken to measure total protein, creatinine, albumin, urea, total cholesterol and glucose. The various treatments increased plasma concentrations of albumin, creatinine, total protein and total cholesterol, as well as urea in water-restricted animals. However, they did not affect blood sugar levels. These results showed that short-term (12-day) exposure of Arbia billy goats to salinization of drinking water or to water restriction affected the majority of their blood metabolites with the exception of glucose.