SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF SHAMI GOATS TO FEEDING SALT TOLERANT FODDER CROPS DURING PREGNANCY UNDER SOUTH SINAI CONDITIONS

To study the effect of feeding salt tolerant fodder crops during pregnancy under south Sinai conditions (Ras Sudr station) on some physiological responses of Shami goats, fourteen Shami doe goats aged 2.5- 3.0 years old with averaged 25.07± 2.44 kg body weight were used  and randomly divided into two equal groups (7 animals each) as follow: The first group (G1) fed berseem hay as control, while the second one (G2) fed a mixture of Atriplex nummularia (50%) + Sorghum bicolor (25%) + Pearl millet (25%). Both groups were supplemented with concentrate feed mixture (CDM). Live body weight changes and daily gain were recorded biweekly. Blood samples were collected from the all animals during dry, gestation (early, mid and late) for the determination of the biochemical parameters, electrolytes and hormones. The results revealed that live body weight and weight gain of control and the treated groups of doe goats were similar. Treated goats had slightly insignificant lower concentrations of TP, AL, GL, A/G ratio, and cholesterol with significant effect of pregnancy on total proteins profile. The mean values of TP, AL and GL significantly decreased (P<0.05) with advancing gestation periods. Glucose and aldosterone concentrations in treated pregnant goats showed significant (P<0.01) decrease as compared to the control animals. The significant interaction between treatment and physiological stage for ALT, ALP enzyme and insulin concentrations was for the reverse effect of each source of variance. While ALT, ALP enzyme and insulin increased by feeding salt tolerant plants but they were decreased by advancing pregnancy stages. Feeding a mixture of salt tolerant plants significantly decreased (P<0.01) the concentrations of urea and creatinine in comparison with control diet with insignificant increased throughout the gestation periods. The concentration of Na was affected significantly (P<0.01) by treatment and physiological status where it showed significant increase in the treated animals during different pregnancy stages. Potassium concentration was increased significantly from dry to reach peak during mid-gestation then declined again during late gestation compared to control animals. These results might indicate that salt tolerant plants could be a feasible solution to minimize the problem of animal feed shortage under arid conditions of Southern Sinai without sever physiological problems. These problems might be amplified due to the stress of pregnancy.