Effects of Bilateral Ovariectomy (OVX) on Thermoregulation and Blood Constituents in Adult Nubian Goats (Capra hircus)
Initisar Hassan Saeed
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bahri, Sudan.
Abdalla Mohamed Abdelatif *
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
Ahmed Omer Alameen
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: This study was designed to investigate the effects of bilateral surgical ovariectomy on thermoregulation and blood constituents in adult Nubian goats.
Materials and Methods: Twenty female goats were randomly assigned into 2 groups, group A served as control and group B was subjected to bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) by standard surgical method and monitored for 4 weeks. The effect of OVX on rectal temperature (Tr), respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), body weight (BW) and blood components were investigated. The data were analyzed using an independent sample T-test.
Results: In OVX group, both Tr and RR decreased during the experimental period. Tr decreased (p<0.05) at week 4 and (HR) (p<0.01) increased at week 2 in OVX group. The packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell count (RBCs) and haemoglobin concentration (Hb) declined (p<0.05) in OVX group at week 1. Also, in OVX group, the total leukocyte count (TLC) increased (p<0.01) at week 1 and neutrophils ratio (p<0.05) at week 2. Both total protein and albumin levels in OVX group were decreased significantly (p<0.01) in weeks 1 and 2. Glucose level increased (p<0.001) at week 1 in OVX group. The serum levels of urea, GOT and GPT of OVX group were relatively higher compared with control group values.
Conclusions: The study concluded that ovariectomy induced variable effects on thermoregulation, haematological and serum biochemical parameters in adult Nubian goats .
Keywords: Goats, bilateral ovariectomy, thermoregulation, blood constituents