SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSESANDSKIN PROPERTIES OF SHAMI GOATS AS AFFECTED BY SALINITY UNDER DESERT CONDITIONS

This study was performed to through some lights on the effect of salinity stress (i.e. salt tolerant plant feeding and drinking saline water) on skin characteristics (skin layers thickness, follicles area and follicles density) and some physical properties of leather (tensile strength, elongation and tear strength) as well as some physiological responses of male Shami goat. This study was carried out at South Sinai Research Station, Desert Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt. Twenty eight growing male Shami goats were assigned randomly into four equal groups (7 of each). The first group (G1; H&TW) was fed on berseem hay (Trifoliumalexandrnum) (BH) and drank tap water (TDS is 274 ppm) and served as control. The second group (G2; H&SW) was fed on H and drank saline water (SW, 5980 ppm). The third group (G3; STP&TW) was fed on salt-tolerant plants (STP, alfalfa) and drank TW while the fourth group (G4; STP&SW) was fed on STP and drank SW. All groups were offered concentrate feed mixture (CFM) and roughages at the rate of 60:40% to cover their maintenance and productive requirements according to Kearl (1982). Physiological responses in terms of some blood electrolytes (calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K) and Phosphorus (P) in addition to Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4), aldosterone (Ald) and Cortisol (Cort.) hormones were determined. The results revealed that the histological structure (dermis, papillary and reticular thicknesses) of skin didn’t differ significantly among the experimental groups except those animals fed STP with SW were significantly (P<0.05) affected. There was a significant (p<0.05) effect of J. Environ. Sci. Institute of Environmental Studies and Research – Ain Shams University Vol. 41, No.3, March 2018 152 salinity on epidermis layer thickness. The thickness of papillary tended to decrease with either SW or STP intake. Reticular layer thickness were affected (p<0.05) by water salinity rather than STP feeding. Results clarified that neither feeding STP nor drinking SW had a significant effect on leather physical properties (tensile strength, elongation and tear strength). Present results indicated that salinity through feed or water had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the mean values of plasma minerals (Na, K, Ca and P) concentrations. Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4) and aldosterone (Ald) concentrations tended to decrease (P<0.05) compared to the control. In contrast, Cortisol (Cort.) concentration tended to increase (P<0.05) in SW vs. TW groups and STP vs. H groups to help animals to cope with such stress. It could be concluded that salt-tolerant plants as animal feeds in salt affected lands could be utilized safely without any adverse effects on animal health and productivity as well as improving the histological parameters of the skin and physical properties of leather of male Shami goats. Therefore, developing small-scale of leather production, as a source of income generating activities, is needed to increase the Bedouins returns from goatskins and improve their livelihood in such areas.