Abstract Limited water intake affects livestock. Though small ruminants are more resilient to suboptimum water intake compared to other species of livestock, tolerance abilities differ among breeds. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of water deprivation levels on intake, growth performance and nutritional status of Nguni goats. Thirty-six Nguni goats (initial weight, 18 ± 3.2 kg) were assigned to one of three treatments: without water deprivation, water deprivation for 24 and 48 h in a completely randomised design for 40 days. Performance traits, body condition score (BCS), faecal egg count (FEC) and FAffa MAlan CHArt (FAMACHA) were determined weekly while blood metabolites were determined on the last day of the experiment and analysed with PROC GLM of SAS software. The average daily water intake (WI) and feed intake (FI) increased (p < .05) with increased period of water deprivation. The average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) declined (p < .01) with increased period of water deprivation. Final body weight, BCS and FAMACHA decreased (p < .05) while faecal egg count, glucose and creatine increased (p < .05) with increased period of water deprivation. Water deprivation period had negative correlations with ADFI, WFR, ADG, FCR, FAMACHA, BCS and BW. The correlation of BW was negative with FEC and positive with serum glucose. It was concluded that water deprivation impacts negatively on the nutritional status, blood metabolites and growth performance of Nguni goats. Highlights Limited water intake in small ruminants decreases body weight and body condition score. Rehydration, after prolonged dehydration of 48 h in small ruminants, results in increased average daily water and feed intake. Under dehydration effect, bodyweight positively correlates with body condition scores and negatively correlates with faecal egg count.

中文翻译：

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水分胁迫对Nguni山羊采食量、生长性能和营养状况的影响

摘要 有限的水摄入会影响牲畜。尽管与其他牲畜物种相比，小型反刍动物对次优饮水的适应能力更强，但品种之间的耐受能力不同。本研究旨在调查缺水水平对 Nguni 山羊采食量、生长性能和营养状况的影响。将 36 只 Nguni 山羊（初始体重，18 ± 3.2 kg）分配到以下三种处理中的一种：不禁水、禁水 24 小时和 48 小时，完全随机设计 40 天。每周测定性能特征、身体状况评分（BCS）、粪便卵数（FEC）和FAffa MAlan Chart（FAMACHA），而在实验的最后一天测定血液代谢物，并用SAS软件的PROC GLM进行分析。平均每日饮水量 (WI) 和饲料摄入量 (FI) 随缺水时间的延长而增加 (p < .05)。平均日增重 (ADG) 和饲料转化率 (FCR) 随着缺水时间的延长而下降 (p < .01)。最终体重、BCS 和 FAMACHA 降低 (p < .05)，而粪便鸡蛋计数、葡萄糖和肌酸随着缺水时间的延长而增加 (p < .05)。缺水期与 ADFI、WFR、ADG、FCR、FAMACHA、BCS 和 BW 呈负相关。BW与FEC呈负相关，与血糖呈正相关。结论是，缺水会对 Nguni 山羊的营养状况、血液代谢物和生长性能产生负面影响。亮点 小反刍动物有限的水摄入量会降低体重和身体状况评分。补液，在小反刍动物中长时间脱水 48 小时后，导致平均每日饮水量和饲料摄入量增加。在脱水效应下，体重与身体状况评分呈正相关，与粪便卵数呈负相关。