Browsing by Author "Balthazary, Sakurani Theobald"

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    Plasma glucose concentration and utilization rates in goats under various physiological and nutritional conditions.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1984) Balthazary, Sakurani Theobald
    The O-toluidin method was modified evaluated and adopted to measure glucose concentration ranges found in goats. Plasma glucose concentration during growth and development was investigated in six goat kids four weeks after birth to maturity. Plasma glucose concentration dropped by around 50% in all six goats by the time they were 13 24 weeks old (from 74 mm). The drop in plasma glucose concentration was significant after initiation of hay and concentrate feeding. The effect of feed level and feed composition was also studied in 4 mature Norwegian goat kids, 40 local and cross bred and 8 norwegian adult goats. Plasma glucose concentrations were higher in high concentrate than in hay fed in the Norwegian breed goats. There was no significant difference in plasma glucose concentration between the local and cross breed goats gracing with concentrate supplementation and those grazing with silage supplementation. However the effect of treatment against abomasol works on plasma glucose concentration was significant. Plasma glucose concentration was lower in lactating then in non-lactating goats the same feed regime. Plasma glucose utilization rates were measured using single injection method three times in two kids during the growth period and two times in four mature goat kids I feed and fasted for 24 and 48 hours. Glucose utilization rate decreased during growth and development by 40 50%. It was higher in mature fed than in 24 and 48 hours fasted kids. There was a positive relationship between plasma glucose concentration and glucose utilization rate. The relationship is in line with the hypothesis that glucose concentration is the major regulatory factor of glucose to the total fuel supply.