Effect of the administration of dexamethasone in pregnant goats: Vitality, thermography, physiological response, and behavioral patterns of newborn kids

Abstract

Perinatal deaths cause economic losses in goat production, and birth induction has emerged as a key strategy for producers to plan parturition periods and thus increase neonatal survival. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dexamethasone administration in pregnant goats on the vitality, thermographic profile, physiological response, and behavioral patterns of their newborn kids. A total of 36 multiparous French Alpine goats and their offspring were randomly assigned into three groups: G1, control goats; G2, goats that received a 0.9 % intramuscular injection of physiological saline solution 36 h before parturition; and G3, goats that received a 16-mg intramuscular injection of dexamethasone 36 h prior to the estimated parturition date. In the dams, the duration of labor, interval between expulsions, latency to first grooming, sniffing, surface temperature, and mother–young bonding were evaluated. In the kids, vitality, neonatal behavior, blood glucose and lactate levels, oxygenation saturation, birth weight, and surface temperature were evaluated at birth, after the first suckling, and at 24 h postpartum. Kids born to dexamethasone-treated goats showed improved vitality parameters compared to neonates from untreated dams, particularly in the suckling reflex (P < 0.0001) and in normal oxygenation and glucose levels. Additionally, dexamethasone-treated dams showed improved maternal behavior. We conclude that administering a 16-mg dose of dexamethasone to naturally mated goats improves mother–kid bonding and results in kids born with higher surface temperatures, adequate oxygenation levels, and higher percentages of the suckling reflex.