Tekanan dan Kambing (Stress & Goats)

Assalamu'alaikum Wrmbth, menurut sedikit info daripada sahabat penternak, faktor tekanan sangat berkait rapat dengan kesihatan kambing anda. Banyak benda yang menyebabkan kambing anda tertekan dan anda patut tahu bagaimana memastikan kesihatan ternakan kambing anda berada ditahap yang sihat. Uishh, bunyi macam kaunselor kambing tapi untuk keberlangsungan projek kami insyaallah akan diambil perhatian.

Sedikit rujukan daripada internet berkenaan tekanan pada kambing

Stress

Reduce stress. Goats don’t handle travel, or changes to their environment or diet very well and can be subject to stress-related ailments. Barking dogs, loud noises, rough handling, and even daily schedule changes can throw their systems off. Illness can also induce stresses in a goat which can complicate treatments and put the animal at further risk for even more health problems. The simplest thing is to avoid the stress to begin with if at all possible. Minimizing the stress factors for your goats will pay you back with improved productivity as well as happier, healthier animals. Sumber: http://www.blackmesaranchonline.com/animals/goat101/getting_started-text.htm

 Perubahan kepada keadaan persekitaran seperti pemindahan kambing ke kandang lain, perubahan diet makanan harian memberi kesan yang tidak harus di pandang remeh. Oleh kerana kami di UMM BARAQAH RESOURCES membiarkan kambing meragut bebas, kesan tekanan suhu (heat stress) perlu diambil kira. Menurut rujukan lanjut, heat stress ialah

Heat stress

Under normal circumstances, livestock are able to maintain their body temperature at a safe range, so long as they have shade and plenty of water.  In extreme heat, they will decrease their grazing time and spend more time in the shade, especially during the heat of the day.  They will graze mostly in the evening and early morning hours.  They should be allowed to rest during the heat of the day. 
While heat stress (exhaustion or stroke) is not very common in sheep and goats in temperate climates, it may occur, especially if stock are handled during the hottest part of the day. Clinical signs of heat stress include continual panting, rapid breathing, weakness, inability to stand, and an elevated rectal temperature (over 105ºF/40.6ºC).  If rectal temperature exceeds 107ºF (41.7ºC), death may occur, as the animal’s cells begin to degenerate.

Animals suspected of being heat-stressed should be moved to a cool, shaded area with good air circulation. The obvious goal of treatment is to lower body temperature. Sheep should be cooled by applying rubbing alcohol to the area between their rear legs.  Besides not being covered with wool, this area has a lot of vascular activity. Wooled sheep should not be sprayed with cool water as this will prevent cooling. Air will not be able to pass through the wetted fleece.
It's okay to spray cool water over other livestock or to spray water over a sheep or goat's woolless areas Other cooling treatments include ice applications, submersion in ice, and cool water enemas. Always be careful to make sure the cold treatment isn't too great a temperature shock to the animal's vascular system.

Heat-stressed animals should be offered ample water and encouraged to drink small amounts. It may be necessary to administer fluids to animals that have become dehydrated as a result of their exposure to extreme heat and/or humidity. Woolly or hairy animals should be sheared as conditions allow.

Apa yang di jelaskan diatas memang padan dengan pemerhatian, memang cahaya matahari baik untuk kambing tetapi adakalanya mereka akan berteduh dibawah pokok semasa panas terik dan jangan lupa bekalkan air minuman yang mencukupi bagi membantu proses pengekalan suhu badan.

Setakat ini kami hanya membela kambing sahaja, dan rupa2nya kambing mempunyai daya tahan lebih daripada biri2 untuk Heat stress ini kerana badan mereka yang berbulu nipis berbanding biri2 yang berbulu tebal. Insyaallah ada kelapangan perkara ini akan dikaji dan pemerhatian lanjut akan dilakukan. Wallahu'alam

Heat tolerance

Some livestock (and people) tolerate heat better than others.  Sheep and goats tend to be less susceptible to heat stress than swine, cattle, llamas, and alpacas. Hair sheep usually tolerate heat better than wooled sheep.  This is why they are often used for training and trialing herding dogs. Fat-tailed sheep are also more heat tolerant. The European sheep breeds are usually the least heat-adaptive because they tend to have shorter bodies and legs, short, thick ears, tight skin, and dense fleeces.
Goats tend to tolerate heat better than sheep.  Goats with loose skin and floppy ears may be more heat tolerant than other goats. Angora goats have a decreased ability to respond to heat stress as compared to sheep and other breeds of goats.
Dark-colored animals are more susceptible to heat stress, while light-colored animals may be prone to sunburn. Females usually handle heat better than males. The heat is especially hard on fat animals. Horned animals dissipate heat better than polled (or disbudded) animals.

Young animals are more susceptible to heat stress than older animals, though the geriatric animal is also very vulnerable.  In fact, any animal with a poor nutritional status or compromised immunity will be more susceptible to environmental extremes. Sumber: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/heatstress.html