The effect of dystocia on oxidative stress, colostral antibody/passive immune status, and blood gases in Damascus goats and their kids

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of dystocia on oxidative stress, venous blood gases, and colostrum and serum immunoglobulins G (IgG) in Damascus goats and their kids, respectively. The study sample comprised a total of 40 Damascus goats with of their own 40 kids separated into 2 groups according to the type of birth. Group 1 consisted of goats with eutocia (n = 20) and their kids (n = 20), and Group 2 consisted of goats with dystocia (n = 20) and their kids (n = 20). Blood samples were taken from the goats and their kids in both groups to measure oxidative stress within one hour after kidding, and from the kids to evaluate serum IgG levels 24 h after kidding. Following blood gas and acid/base status were determined immediately after blood collection, colostrum samples were taken before the kids were sucked. Malondialdehyde (MDA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ischemia modified albumin (IMA), and total oxidant capacity (TOC) levels were significantly higher in the dystocia group than in the eutocia group (p < 0.05). Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were significantly lower in the dystocia group than those in the eutocia group (p < 0.05). In addition, the serum IgG levels of kids were significantly lower in the dystocia group than those in the eutocia group (p < 0.05). In the kids, partial pressure of oxygen (pO2 ), pH value, bicarbonate (HCO3 ), base excess (BE), and glucose levels were significantly lower in the dystocia group than those in the eutocia group (p < 0.05), whereas partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2 ), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) levels were significantly higher in the dystocia group than those in the eutocia group (p < 0.05). In the goats, oxygen pressure (pO2 ) was significantly higher in the dystocia group than that in the eutocia group (p < 0.05), whereas bicarbonate (HCO3 ) was significantly lower in the dystocia group than that in the eutocia group (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between IMA and serum IgG in kids in Group 1 (r=0.611, p < 0.05). A statistically significant correlation was observed between MDA and colostrum IgG levels in goats in Group 2 (r = 0.464, p < 0.05). In conclusion, current results could reveal that dystocia caused oxidative stress in both goats and kids. The present study elucidates that dystocia resulted in hypercapnia and hypoxia in kids, negatively affected blood gases, and decreased serum IgG levels in kids. It was revealed that oxidative stress increased, and colostrum IgG level did not change in goats in the dystocia group.