Effect of Different Housing Shed on Behavior of Surti Goat

Abstract

Behavior forms an important component sign of the comfort level experienced by the animals. Present study was carried out to at farm located in ‘Reproductive Biology Research Unit’ of Anand Agricultural University, Gujarat to observe the behavior of flock of 30 Surti goats housed in different housing systems viz., asbestos sheet housing (Group A), green net housing (Group B) and tree shade open housing (Group C). Gujarat has semiarid climatic conditions and the average temperature during the experimental period was 36.58^oC. Observations were made for frequencies of activities performed per animal per day on parameters like; feeding, drinking, resting, aggressive behaviour, sleeping, ruminating, grooming and bleating. The values on frequency of feeding dry fodder, drinking, aggressive behavior, resting and bleating in high pitch were significantly different in different housing systems. Green net housing recorded the maximum temperature during all hours of the day and frequency of drinking water in animals housed was higher. In a confined housing i.e., asbestos sheet housing, anxiety i.e., bleating and aggressive behaviour was seen higher. Goats in tree shade open housing were more comfortable as the frequency of resting was higher also frequency of other activities was found to be optimum. All the observations and results suggest that the tree shade housing is the best housing system for Surti goats.