PHYSIOLOGICAL-EFFECTS OF EXERCISE IN MALE AND FEMALE SAANEN GOATS AT THE SAME BODY-WEIGHT BUT DIFFERENT FEED-INTAKE

Effects of treadmill exercise in males were 25% higher respiration rat es (RR) in comparison to females (P < 0.05). After 1 h exercise RR inc reased around 6-fold (P < 0.001). With feed, RR increased gradually (P < 0.001); comparisons were 1.0:1.3:3.9 with low (400 g), medium (600 g) and high (1200 g) feed intake, respectively. Rectal temperature (RT ) showed differences between sexes (P < 0.1) but males were less toler ant (0.2 degrees C higher) than females. At different levels of feed, RT increased gradually by 0.2 and 0.4 degrees C at medium and high lev els, respectively, compared to low feeding (P < 0.001). Rump skin temp erature (RST) showed difference between sexes (P < 0.1); the male was 0.2 degrees C higher than female. Loin skin temperature (LST) differed between feeds (P < 0.001), increasing gradually by 0.5 and 0.9 degree s C at both medium and high feeding level compared to low. Ear skin te mperatures (EST) in males were 0.6 degrees C lower than females. It is concluded that an increase in level of feed intake experienced by the goat during exercise was followed by significant increases in the RR, RT, RST and LST.