EffECT Of SOME ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS ON MILK YIELD, COMPOSITION, TE,CHNOLOEGY AND SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL ) PARAMETERS IN BALADI G0ATS

Abstract

The present study was conducted at Maryout Experimental Station. Eights five Baladi does (1.5- 4.5 years old, 29.86 + 0.37 kg average body weight), were randomly assigned into 4 comparable groups. The animals were shorn in may before the breeding season 1n mid-July, 1993. Two groups were shaded under 2.5 m height asbestos and the other two groups were left unshaded. One group from shaded and another from unshaded does were watered once daily, meanwhile the remaining two groups were dehydrated for 3.5 days. Such treatments continued up to the end of the breeding season (about two estrous cycle). Four fertile bucks were allowed to run with does for natural insemination. All does were mated within the breeding period. Group feeding was practised using liberal amounts of a good quality hay plus a daily alloance of 250 g/l1 concentrate mixture at early pregnancy and it was increase gradually into 500 g/h 6 wk before kidding and continued during actation. Free access of water was available (during pregnancy and lactation for all does. Reproductive data were recorded. Six does out of each treatment were selected at random to study their milk yield, composition and technology. Effect of stage of lactation on plasma Na, K, Ca and prolactin was also studied. The results revealed that :

1. Exposure of does to solar radiation and dehydration during the breeding season insignificantly decreased percentage of does kidded/does joined (about 25.8%). 2. The burden of dehydration on depression of conception rate

was less pronounced as compared to

' exposur

e to solar