Article de revue
Effect of season and age on blood minerals, liver enzyme levels, and faecal egg counts in Nguni goats of South Africa [2012]
Rumosa Gwaze, F., Lovedale Public Further Education and Training, Alice (South Africa); Chimonyo, M., University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg (South Africa). Discipline of Animal and Poultry Science; Dzama, K., Stellenbosch Univ., Matieland (South Africa). Dept. of Animal Sciences;
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The objective of this study was to determine the relationships between age, faecal egg counts, liver enzymes, and blood minerals in the wet and dry seasons in male (n=40) and female (n=56) Nguni goats of South Africa. Faecal and blood samples were collected once in the dry (August) and wet (January) season. Faecal egg counts (FEC) were determined by the modified McMaster technique while trematodes were determined by the sedimentation method. Blood was analyzed for phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels. Faecal egg counts were significantly higher in the wet compared with the dry season. Most (P less than 0.05) of the goats were within the reference values for Ca, P and Mg in both seasons. Phosphorus concentrations were significantly affected by age with higher levels in young (2.1+/-0.06) than in adult (2.0+/-0.03) goats. ALP was significantly affected by age with higher levels in young than in mature goats. Higher AST, CK, and GGT concentrations were recorded in the wet than in the dry season (P less than 0.05). Higher CK and AST were recorded in male than in female goats while for ALP, the values were higher in female than in male goats. Linear negative relationships (P less than 0.05) existed between age and ALP, P, and FEC, while quadratic relationships existed between age and strongyles and Strongyloides e
gg counts. Calcium was linearly related (P less than 0.05) to FEC, while CK was related to FEC in a quadratic fashion. The age of the Nguni goats can be used to predict faecal egg counts, P and ALP levels.
