Y. ALEXIEV
Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture, BG - 5600 Troyan, Bulgaria
ALEKSIEV, Y., 2009. Rectal temperature dynamic in Bulgarian White kids during the first 24 h of postnatal life. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 15: 177-182
Rectal temperature (RT) dynamic was studied in newborn Bulgarian White kids. RT was recorded at birth, ½ h, 1 h, 3 h, 12 h, and 24 h postpartum. RT at birth had similar values in male, female, single and twin kids and was 39.59°C, 39.67°C, 39.63°C, and 39.64°C respectively. Considerable reduction (P<0.001) was observed in all groups of kids by ½ h of birth. During the next ½ h of life there was a further RT decrease in singleton (P>0.05) and increase to different extent in male (P>0.05), female (P<0.05) and twin (P<0.05) kids. A negligible elevation (P>0.05) was observed in all groups of kids between 1 and 3 h after delivery. During the period between 3 h and 12 h postpartum a drop of RT was established in male (P<0.01), female (P<0.001), twin (P<0.001), and single kids (P>0.05). From 12 h onwards male, female and twin kids showed a significant (P<0.01) increase in RT, whereas in singleton it was the greatest but insignificant. At 24 h of birth RT in all groups of kids achieved similar values. The results suggest that newborn kids had well expressed homeothermic ability and that the type of birth rather than birth weight appeared to have more substantial effect on their thermoregulatory capacity.
Abbreviation: RT - rectal temperature