Henna Kamilia, Boudjellaba Sofiane, Khammar Farida, Amirat Zaina, Chesneau Didier, Charallah Salima
Department of Biology and Physiology of Organisms, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Research on Arid Lands, BP 32 El Alia, 16111, Algiers, Algeria.
Department of Pre-Clinic, Higher National Veterinary School, Laboratory of Research Management of Local Animal Resources, Abbes Street, Oued-Smar, 16000, Algiers, Algeria.
Vet World. 2021 Sep;14(9):2419-2426. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2021.2419-2426. Epub 2021 Sep 18.
Goats are widely distributed in southwest Algeria. The Saharan goat is perfectly adapted to the harsh conditions of arid areas, and it is characterized by resistance to long photoperiod and reduced metabolic needs, allowing the survival of its offspring by maintaining lactation. Several studies have demonstrated that parturition and lactation are critical periods that induce hormone, energy, and lipid status changes in mammals. However, the relationship between the blood biochemical parameters of parturition control and lactation functions in the Algerian Saharan goat has not been thoroughly documented. Therefore, this study assesses hormone and metabolite levels during parturition and early lactation in Saharan goats reared in arid areas.
Experiments were performed on 14 multiparous female goats, and blood samples were collected during parturition, 4 days postpartum (D1PP-D4PP), and during the first 12 weeks of lactation (W1-W12) to analyze prolactin, cortisol, glucose (GLU), total proteins (TP), cholesterol (CHO), triglycerides (TGs), total lipids (TL), low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), and very LDLs (VLDLs).
Statistical data analysis revealed a significant (p<0.05) increase in plasma prolactin concentrations at W1 after parturition, reaching maximum values at W3 and W9, and remained high until W12 of lactation. Plasma cortisol levels were high at parturition, reaching two peaks at W3 and W9, and then decreased at W5, W7, and W12 of lactation. No significant changes were found in serum GLU levels during the first 7 weeks of lactation compared with parturition day; then, the levels became significantly (p<0.05) lower at W8, W11, and W12 of lactation. Plasma TP increased significantly (p<0.05) at D3PP, W1, and W4, then decreased significantly (p<0.05) at W8. In addition, this decrease coincided with that of GLU production. Serum CHO, TGs, TL, LDLs, and VLDLs, were low at parturition and high at D4PP and during the first 3 months of lactation. Furthermore, HDL levels were low at D3PP, 1, and 3 months and high at the 2 month of lactation.
This study emphasized the impact of parturition and the 1 weeks of lactation on endocrine and metabolic changes in indigenous goats living in the Algerian Sahara Desert. These results can be used to monitor and improve farming management and understand physiological adaptive strategies, mainly lactation function sustainability, of this goat living in marginal zones.
山羊广泛分布于阿尔及利亚西南部。撒哈拉山羊能完美适应干旱地区的恶劣条件，其特点是耐长光照周期且代谢需求降低，通过维持泌乳使后代得以存活。多项研究表明，分娩和泌乳是诱导哺乳动物激素、能量及脂质状态变化的关键时期。然而，阿尔及利亚撒哈拉山羊分娩控制的血液生化参数与泌乳功能之间的关系尚未得到充分记录。因此，本研究评估了干旱地区饲养的撒哈拉山羊在分娩和泌乳早期的激素和代谢物水平。
对14只经产母羊进行实验，在分娩时、产后4天（产后第1天至第4天）以及泌乳的前12周（第1周 - 第12周）采集血样，以分析催乳素、皮质醇、葡萄糖（GLU）、总蛋白（TP）、胆固醇（CHO）、甘油三酯（TGs）、总脂质（TL）、低密度脂蛋白（LDLs）、高密度脂蛋白（HDLs）和极低密度脂蛋白（VLDLs）。
统计数据分析显示，产后第1周血浆催乳素浓度显著（p<0.05）升高，在第3周和第9周达到最大值，并在泌乳第12周前一直保持较高水平。分娩时血浆皮质醇水平较高，在第3周和第9周出现两个峰值，然后在泌乳第5周、第7周和第12周下降。与分娩日相比，泌乳前7周血清GLU水平无显著变化；然后，在泌乳第8周、第11周和第12周水平显著（p<0.05）降低。产后第3天、第1周和第4周血浆TP显著（p<0.05）升高，然后在第8周显著（p<0.05）下降。此外，这种下降与GLU产生的下降同时发生。血清CHO、TGs、TL、LDLs和VLDLs在分娩时较低，在产后第4天和泌乳的前3个月较高。此外，产后第3天、第1个月和第3个月HDL水平较低，在泌乳第2个月时较高。
本研究强调了分娩和泌乳12周对生活在阿尔及利亚撒哈拉沙漠的本地山羊内分泌和代谢变化的影响。这些结果可用于监测和改善养殖管理，并了解这种生活在边缘地区的山羊的生理适应策略，主要是泌乳功能的可持续性。
