Morphology of coat and skin of small ruminants reared in the Brazilian semi-arid region

• Published in: Journal of thermal biology Vol. 112; p. 103418
• Main Authors: Henrique Mascarenhas, Nágela Maria, Furtado, Dermeval Araújo, Benício de Souza, Bonifácio, Brilhante de Sousa, Otávio, Lima da Costa, Antonio Nelson, Feitosa, José Valmir, Rodrigues da Silva, Maycon, Batista, Luanna Figueiredo, Dornelas, Karoline Carvalho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-02-2023
• Subjects: Animals; Brazil; Female; Goats; Integument; Male; Phenotypic acclimatization; Semi-arid; Sheep; Skin - anatomy & histology; Sweat Glands; Sweating; Thermal insulation; Brazil; Semi-arid; Thermal insulation; Phenotypic acclimatization; Integument
• ISSN: 0306-4565; 1879-0992
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103418

The structure of the coat and integument of small ruminants reared in semi-arid regions have valuable characteristics that favor their adaptation to the region. The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural characteristics of the coat and integument and sweating capacity of goats and sheep in the Brazilian semi-arid region, using 20 animals, 10 of each breed, 5 males and 5 females of each species, grouped in a completely randomized design in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (2 species and 2 genders) with 5 replicates. The animals were already being kept under the influence of high temperatures and levels of direct solar radiation before the day of the collections. At the time of the evaluations, ambient temperature was high, with low relative humidity. The pattern of epidermal thickness and sweat glands per body region was superior in sheep (P < 0.05), and the number of hair follicles and sweat rate were similar (P > 0.05) between the species. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in the evaluated characteristics between the genders, showing that they are not influenced by hormones. The morphology of the coat and skin of these animals showed a superiority of goats compared to sheep.
•Moxotó goats have more functional and active sweat glands than Santa Ines sheep.•The fur characteristics of goats were superior to those of sheep, being favorable for breeding in a semiarid climate.•Annual changes in coat and skin characteristics can interfere with the thermal insulation of goats and sheep raised in a semiarid region.•Annual changes in coat and skin characteristics can interfere with the thermal insulation of goats and sheep raised of small ruminants in a semi-arid region.