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Resting and field metabolic rates of Awassi sheep and Baladi goats raised by Negev bedouin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2020

Michael Kam ,
Shaher El-Meccawi ,
Arieh Brosh  and
A. Allan Degen Open the ORCID record for A. Allan Degen [Opens in a new window]
Michael Kam
Affiliation:
Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva84105
Shaher El-Meccawi
Affiliation:
Achva Academic College, MB – Shikmim 79800, Israel
Arieh Brosh
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Yaar Research Center, Beef Cattle Section, P.O. Box 1021, Ramat Yishay30095, Israel
A. Allan Degen*
Affiliation:
Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandry, Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva84105
*
Author for correspondence: A. Allan Degen, Email: degen@bgu.ac.il
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Abstract

Sheep are grazers and goats are intermediate feeders. By employing O2 consumption and heart rate measurements, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and field metabolic rate (FMR) were determined in four male fat-tailed Awassi sheep (44.0 ± 3.94) and four male Baladi goats (35.5 ± 5.42 kg) that were co-grazing natural pasture in the Negev Desert. There were 67.7 ± 3.75 g DM/m2 of herbaceous vegetation biomass, which was rapidly becoming senescent and more fibrous. We hypothesized that FMR of these desert-adapted ruminants would be relatively low when compared to other sheep and goat breeds, as animals in arid areas tend to have low metabolic rates. Both sheep (n = 6) and goats (n = 6) foraged 71% of the allotted 11 h free-pasture period; however, sheep grazed more than goats (P < 0.001); whereas goats browsed more than sheep (P < 0.001). RMR was higher (P = 0.007) in sheep than in goats (529 ± 23.5 v. 474 ± 25.4 kJ/kg0.75 BW/d), but FMR did not differ between species (618 ± 55.7 v. 613 ± 115.2 kJ/kg0.75 BW/d). In addition, the cost of activities, as a proportion of FMR, did not differ between sheep and goats; FMR increased by 89 kJ/kg0.75 BW/d or 17% in sheep and by 138 kJ/kg0.75 BW/d or 29% in goats. In comparing FMRs of sheep and goats in this study with these species in other studies, differences were inconsistent and, therefore, our hypothesis was not supported.

Keywords

Field metabolic rategoatsheart rateresting metabolic ratesheep
Type
Animal Research Paper
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 158 , Issue 5 , July 2020 , pp. 431 - 437
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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