Physiological condition of yaks imported from the East Sayan Mountains to the forest-steppe zone of Buryatia

Abstract

There is given the assessment of physiological response of the domestic yak’s organism and adaptive qualities of grunting cows at 3 years of age weighing 200 kg, which were imported from East Sayan highlands to the forest-steppe area of the Republic of Buryatia. Experiments were carried out during 30 summer (July) days. The animals of the experimental groups were kept on pasture under different climatic conditions: first group in a cool and damp climate, and second in a warm and damp climate. The control group was reference. It was found that rates of pulse and breathing, rectal temperature, the amount of water intake were significantly higher in warm and damp conditions. All changes are regarded as a compensatory phenomenon to save the thermal equilibrium of the body. A comparison of breathing rates in the experimental animals showed that a warm, damp weather resulted in the double enhancement of respiration (second experimental group), and the rate was within the normal range in a cool, dump weather (first group). The enhancement of the heart rate and rectal temperature in the second experimental group were more significant than those in the first group. These changes indicated adaptive possibilities of East Sayan domestic yak by transforming the metabolism and regulation of hematopoiesis. The effectiveness of the experimental data provides a scientific justification for seasonal movements of yaks for the summer to pastures with favorable ambient temperature and air mobility, the presence of mountainous springs and the absence of blood-sucking insects.