Physiological Responses of Saanen Does: A Comparative Study of Traditional Wooden and Aluminium Galvanized Iron Housing System in a Tropical Climate

Abstract

Physiological responses are key indicators for accessing the welfare of farm animals and served as valuable references for detecting abnormal conditions caused by unsuitable environmental factors. This study aimed to evaluate the physiological responses of Saanen does in two different housing systems. Twelve (12) female Saanen does, ages 9 to 12 months with an average weight of 23.54±1.15 kg, were randomly assigned to either traditional wooden house (T₀) or aluminium galvanized iron house (T₁). After a 14 days of adaptation period, thermoregulator variables including rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) were measured every week over a 90-day period. Serum cortisol levels were also measured at weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12. Additionally, microclimate parameter, ambient temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH), were recorded each housing system weekly to calculate temperature-humidity index (THI). Housing types did not significantly (P>0.05) affect the environmental parameters, but variations were observed throughout the day. High AT (34.74±0.29) and THI (86.30±0.26) were recorded in the afternoon, while RH (75.53±1.27) was higher in the morning. Notably, RR was elevated in T₀, whereas HR was higher in T₁. Significant diurnal variations (P<0,05) were observed in both RT and RR, with higher values observed in the afternoon compared to the morning and evening. Serum cortisol levels, however, were unaffected by housing type. These findings suggest that both housing systems may induce stress in the animals, but T₁ provided better conditions for heat dissipation and had lower maintenance costs. Thus, T₁ presents a more suitable alternative to T₀ in tropical climates, potentially improving the welfare and comfort of Saanen does.