The effect of age and coat colour of goats on their body temperature in the brazilian northeast

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to find out the variation body temperature of goats, between ages, and to check if the colour of the goats (black or white) had any relevance in influencing the variation in body temperature in the Northeast of Brazil. Highly significant differences were found between ages, and mean body temperature declined with age. However; maximum variation occurred between morning and afternoon, and the afternoon temperature increase was significantly higher, in. weaned and adult goats, than in the newly born kids. This difference represents en effect of both age and management of the animals. All animals were kept indoors, and hence this effect may also have to do with the relatively higher movement among adult animals, than among the newly born ones. Significant day-to-day variation in mean body temperature was also observed. Colour of the animal had no influence on the body temperature of goats.