ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Responses of serum electrolytes of goats to twelve hours of road transportation during the hot-dry season in Nigeria, and the effect of pretreatment with ascorbic acid

 

 

J.O. Ayo^I; N.S. Minka^II; A.K.B. Sackey^III; A.B. Adelaiye^IV

^IDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
^IICollege of Agriculture and Animal Science, P.M.B. 2134. Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Mando - Kaduna, Nigeria
^IIIDepartment of Surgery and Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
^IVDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Twenty goats which served as the experimental group were administered ascorbic acid (AA) per os at a dosage rate of 100 mg/kg body mass, while 20 others served as controls and were given 10 ml each of sterile water. Forty minutes after the administration and loading, the goats were transported for 12 h. Handling and loading of the experimental and control groups of goats decreased (p< 0.05) the potassium and sodium serum concentrations. The concentration of serum chloride, sodium and calcium increased significantly (p< 0.05) immediately post-transportation, while potassium and magnesium decreased (p < 0.05) in the control goats. In AA-treated goats sodium and magnesium concentrations decreased abruptly (p< 0.05), while calcium increased significantly (p< 0.05) after transportation. Handling, loading and transportation adversely affected the electrolyte balance of the goats which suggested respiratory alkalosis, dehydration and muscular damage in the transported goats, and the administration of AA alleviated the adverse effects of road transportation stress on serum electrolytes.

Keywords: Ascorbic acid, electrolyte, goat, road transportation, stress

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Accepted forpublication 16 April 2009-Editor

 

 

* Author to whom correspondence is to be directed: E-mail: mnsalka@yahoo.com