DOI: 10.46897/livestockstudies.1913851 ISSN: 2717-8331

Annual Variation in Blood Glucose Levels of Akkeçi Goats

Büşra Turan Doğangün, Gürsel Dellal, Ayşe Övgü Şen
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Glucose plays a vital role as an energy source, essential for maintaining cellular and physiological functions in ruminants. This study aimed to investigate annual variation in blood glucose levels and the effects of physiological periods, age, and body weight in Akkeçi goats, a dairy breed developed by Ankara University. The study was conducted on 10 healthy female goats over one year, with monthly blood sampling and analysis. The annual mean blood glucose level was 39.66±0.810 mg/dl (range: 22-87 mg/dl) with a coefficient of variation of 26.64%, consistent with reference values for ruminants. Monthly mean glucose levels ranged from 28.98±1.828 mg/dl (September) to 54.69±3.322 mg/dl (March), demonstrating significant seasonal variation. Mean blood glucose levels during mating, pregnancy, and lactation periods were 29.84±0.962, 46.15±1.241, and 43.06±1.560 mg/dl, respectively, showing significant differences among physiological stages. Age had no significant effect on annual mean glucose levels but significantly influenced glucose concentrations during mating and lactation periods. A weak negative correlation (-0.016±0.04059) was observed between body weight and glucose levels. These findings provide baseline metabolic data essential for nutritional management and health monitoring of dairy goats during different reproductive stages.

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