WATER REQUIRMENTS OF DESERT GOATS BY GHULAM MOHYUDDIN WANI

WATER REQUIREMENTS OF DESERT  GOATs

BY

PROF GHULAM MOHYUDDIN WANI

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Goats and sheep consumed  water at the rate of  8% of their body weight per day  under the scrarecity conditions. They have the capacity to maintain itself at  4% body weight per day. Evaporation loss was reduced from 6% of body weight per day to about 3% by restricting water intake. Reduced water intake does not effect temperature regulation

Water is obviously important for goats, and the amount required depends on that needed for the maintenance of normal water balance and to provide for satisfactory levels of production. The normal body water content of the goat varies with age, amount of fat in the body, and environmental temperatures. It would be expected to exceed 60 percent of the body weight and 75 percent of the nonbony tissues. Researchers  have shown that some goats, such as the black Bedouin of the Negev and Sinai deserts, have the capacity to store as much as 76 percent of their body weight. Water requirements may be met by free water consumption, but other important sources include water contained in the feed ingested and metabolic water resulting from oxidation of energy sources. Major water losses include those from urine, lactation, evaporation, and perspiration.

.They also have the ability to conserve water by reducing losses in urine and feces. In many environments the water intake through forage may be high relative to other species because of their  browse which consists maily of wtery tissue and flowering parts of the plant for this quality they are often critisized by foresters as damagingg species.However this controversy has endede (WANI,2002). The result is that goats are less dependent on free water sources than other domestic species, but do not equal certain wild animal species in this respect.DEER AND STAGE AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS HAS MUCH MORE WATER TOLERENCE AND CONSERVING CAPABILITY THAN THE GOAT.

Factors affecting the f water intake of goats are lactation STAGE,, environmental temperature, water content of forage consumed, amount of exercise,  salt and mineral content of the diet. Therefore, the daily range of free water dintake may be from zero to several liters. When feeding on dry forages and when water is lacking, the efficiency of reproduction will suffer (Brown and Lynch, 1972; Lynch et al., 1972). Suboptimum water intake will result initially in reduced feed intake, then reduced performance and gradual starvation. Acute problems result when goats are unable to maintain water balance or control body temperature.

Goats are often more sensitive and reluctant than other species to drink from foul-tasting water sources. If they are forced to drink poor quality water, the result may be infection or undesirable mineral intake. Also, in many parts of the world goats drink from impounded water, and entrapment (bogging in mud) can be a real hazard, especially with Angoras.Our experiences at central goat institute of makhdoom,india shows goats are both selective browsers and drinkers(WATER i mean)

Goats are among the most efficient  users of water, after  the camel in the low rate of water turnover per unit of body weight (Maloiy and Taylor, 1971; Macfarlane and Howard, 1972). Goats appear to be less subject to high temperature stress than other species.

They  have the ability to conserve water by reducing losses in urine and feces. In many environments the water intake through forage may be high relative to other species because of their ability or willingness to browse. The result is that goats are less dependent on free water sources than other domestic species, but do not equal certain wild animal species in this respect.

Factors affecting the free water intake of goats are lactation level, environmental temperature, water content of forage consumed, amount of exercise, and salt and mineral content of the diet. Therefore, the daily range of free water intake may be from zero to several liters. When feeding on dry forages and when water is lacking, the efficiency of reproduction will suffer (Brown and Lynch, 1972; Lynch et al., 1972). Suboptimum water intake will result initially in reduced feed intake, then reduced performance and gradual starvation. Acute problems result when goats are unable to maintain water balance or control body temperature.

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Boer goat (BG) kids and 16 South African Mutton merino (MM) wether lambs were investigated.BY A FEW RESEARCHERS CITED IN THE TEXT . Two pelleted diets  with either a low or a high metabolisable energy level were fed individually, ad libitum for 56 days. The BG had a 49% lower (P<0.01) water intake per kilogram mass gain than the MM on both the high and low energy diets. Both species had a lower (P<0.01) intake on the high than on the low energy diet. , the BG had a daily water intake of only 171 ml kg?0.75 compared to the 302 ml kg?0.75 of the MM.