Scholarlink

Background <p>Poor pregnancy diagnosis especially at the early stages is one of the challenges affecting goat production in Nigeria. The textbook reference intervals produced by European or American Veterinary Laboratories for pregnancy diagnosis is not effective for animals raised under tropical climates like Nigeria due to genetics, nutrition, management practice, disease and weather.</p> Aim <p>The aim of this study was to establish pregnancy-related reference intervals for some serum biochemical parameters of Red sokoto goat, a Nigerian indigenous goat breed, at different pregnancy stages.</p> Materials and methods <p>This study employed a cross sectional survey design, in which a total of 110 female goats presented for slaughter at Ikpa Abattoir, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, were the sampled. Upon slaughter, blood samples were collected from jugular outflow for serum biochemical assay. The enzyme activities of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the serum, and serum levels of total proteins, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, phosphorus, calcium and potassium were assayed following standard procedures. The goats were divided into pregnant and non-pregnant by presence of foetus in the uterus seen after evisceration. The foetus were collected and used for the estimation of pregnancy stage. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, and significance was accepted at <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05.</p> Result <p>Results showed that out of the 110 female goats that were sampled, 46 were not pregnant, while 64 were pregnant, giving the pregnancy rate to be 58.2%. Out of the 64 that are pregnant, 45, 16 and 3 were in the first, second and third trimester, respectively. Goats in the third trimester had a significantly higher AST, ALT and ALP enzyme activities. Also, the serum total proteins, globulin and triglyceride levels of the goats in the third trimester were significantly lower. The serum potassium and calcium levels of female goats in their first trimester are significantly lower, except for the serum potassium level which was significantly higher than others during the first trimester.</p> Conclusion <p>This study established the serum biochemical alterations associated with pregnancy in Red Sokoto Goat, an indigenous Nigerian breed of goat. This information provides evidence on serum biochemical alterations that could help in developing a diagnostic panel for pregnancy diagnosis in Red Sokoto Goat.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Serum biochemical variations associated with pregnancy in Nigerian Red Sokoto Goat

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月25日

查看全文
  • Chinwe U. Chukwudi,
  • John I. Ihedioha,
  • Arinzechukwu S. Ezema

摘要

Background

Poor pregnancy diagnosis especially at the early stages is one of the challenges affecting goat production in Nigeria. The textbook reference intervals produced by European or American Veterinary Laboratories for pregnancy diagnosis is not effective for animals raised under tropical climates like Nigeria due to genetics, nutrition, management practice, disease and weather.

Aim

The aim of this study was to establish pregnancy-related reference intervals for some serum biochemical parameters of Red sokoto goat, a Nigerian indigenous goat breed, at different pregnancy stages.

Materials and methods

This study employed a cross sectional survey design, in which a total of 110 female goats presented for slaughter at Ikpa Abattoir, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria, were the sampled. Upon slaughter, blood samples were collected from jugular outflow for serum biochemical assay. The enzyme activities of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the serum, and serum levels of total proteins, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, phosphorus, calcium and potassium were assayed following standard procedures. The goats were divided into pregnant and non-pregnant by presence of foetus in the uterus seen after evisceration. The foetus were collected and used for the estimation of pregnancy stage. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance, and significance was accepted at p < 0.05.

Result

Results showed that out of the 110 female goats that were sampled, 46 were not pregnant, while 64 were pregnant, giving the pregnancy rate to be 58.2%. Out of the 64 that are pregnant, 45, 16 and 3 were in the first, second and third trimester, respectively. Goats in the third trimester had a significantly higher AST, ALT and ALP enzyme activities. Also, the serum total proteins, globulin and triglyceride levels of the goats in the third trimester were significantly lower. The serum potassium and calcium levels of female goats in their first trimester are significantly lower, except for the serum potassium level which was significantly higher than others during the first trimester.

Conclusion

This study established the serum biochemical alterations associated with pregnancy in Red Sokoto Goat, an indigenous Nigerian breed of goat. This information provides evidence on serum biochemical alterations that could help in developing a diagnostic panel for pregnancy diagnosis in Red Sokoto Goat.