1. Wudpecker Journal of Agricultural Research ISSN 2315-7259
Vol. 3(8), pp. 154 - 156, August 2014 2014 Wudpecker Journals
Determination of sodium and chloride in the blood
serum of goats grazing at El-Khuwei locality, West
Kordofan, Sudan
Abdel Moniem M.A. El hag1
, Ali Ahmed hassabo2
, Intesar Y.Turki3
, I. Bushara4
and M.O. Eisa5
1
Animal Production and Rangeland, Agriculture Research Corporation (ARC) El- Obeid Research Station, Sudan.
2
West Kordofan University, Sudan.
3
Department of Animal Production Sudan University of Science and Technology.
4
Department of Animal Production, University of Kordofan, Sudan.
5
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Omdurman Islamic University.
*Corresponding author E-mail: elhagmoniem@yahoo.com. P.O. Box 429, Mobile: +24912564952
Accepted 21 August 2014
At two stages flowering and seed setting field the experiment was conducted to determine some macro
minerals sodium (Na) and chloride(Cl)in the blood serum of goats grazing on natural range land, at El-
khuwei locality, West Kordofan, Sudan in the year 2011. A completely randomized design (CRD) was
used. Sampling was done in two stages at the flowering and seed setting in selected locations (2 km
2
each). Within each stage, blood samples were collected from 60 randomly selected goats for blood
serum determination. Our results revealed statistically significant (P< 0.05) were lower sodium Na (29.26
mmol/L) concentration at flowering stage and higher sodium Na (33.60 mmol/L) concentration during
the seed setting stage. However both stage intervals did not effect chloride concentrations; a slight
decreased in chloride (57.82mg/dl) level during the flowering stage and an increase (62.22 mg/dl) during
the seed setting stage.
Key words: Stages, serum, sodium, chloride, goat. Sudan.
INTRODUCTION
Sudan is the largest country in Africa, with an area of
1.88 million Km
2
, and has the second largest animal
population in Africa consisting of 52.08 million sheep,
43.44 million goats, 41.76 million cattle and 4.62 million
camels respectively. The majority of animal wealth are
concentrated in western Sudan (40%), followed by
central Sudan (23%) (MARF, 2011).
Small ruminant production represents the principal
economic output, contributing a large share of the income
of farmers (Ben Salem and Smith, 2008). Goats are
importanc source of milk and meat for small farmers,
fetch income locally and can be sold in local markets, to
cover small cash expenditures (Devendra, 1985).
Moreover, some areas of the tropics are known to be
deficient in certain minerals, and the seasonal movement
sheep under nomadic or transhumance minimizes the
effect of localized deficiencies. Underwood (1981) stated
that mineral imbalance arises in an animal because the
mineral content of its food is either deficient or in excess.
Rick (2007) reported that sodium (Na) mineral content of
its food is either deficient or in excess. Rick (2007)
reported that sodium (Na) together with chlorine (Cl)
occurs as sodium chloride (Na Cl) salt and it functions in
amino acid and glucose transport and muscle
contractions. Sodium deficiency occurs in tropical Africa
and the inland parts of Australia (Underwood, 1981).
Carles (1983) confirmed that pasture in the tropics is
deficient in Na and this could be supplemented with water
containing high Na Cl. White et al. (1995) reported that
sodium was the most common deficient mineral in Syria.
In addition, the author stated that sodium deficiency is
most likely to occur in sheep when salt losses are high as
a result of heat stress or lactation.
Gatenby (1986) reported that the mineral requirements
of the small ruminants depend on their age, productivity
and adaptation to the area. Therefore, this study aimed to
determine the levels of macro elements sodium and
chloride in the blood serum of goats; as indicators of their
status in the low-rainfall areas of Sudan.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study area
This study was conducted at El-khuwei locality

2. 155 Wudpecker J. Agric. Res.
(Longitudes 28˚:33' to 28˚:30'N and latitudes 12˚:14' to
14˚:12’E).
The average annual rainfall is about 300-mm,
consisting of storms of short duration between July and
September with the highest rainfall generally occurring in
August. The soil of the site lies within the sand dune area
locally known as “Goz” soil. During the rainy season,
forage biomass is suitable to provide sufficient feed for
animals, but during the dry season forage is scarce and
small quantities of grain are also fed to animals (MARF,
2009).
Sampling and experimental study
Sampling of grasses was done in two stages at flowering
and seed setting in the natural range in selected locations
(2 km
2
each). Within each stage, 60 goats were selected
samples of blood serum.
Blood samples estimating and preparation
Blood serum was collected from 60 goats that were
randomly selected from pasture, using 5 ml syringes
tubes with anticoagulant (together). The blood samples
were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 20 minutes to separate
the plasma. The plasma samples were stored at –20° C
till further analysis. A quantity of 5 ml of blood plasma
was digested with a 4 ml mixture of perchloric acid and
nitric acid (1:1). After digestion, the volume was made to
25 ml with distilled de-ionized water. Further dilution was
prepared for macro mineral determination following the
method of Kamada et al. (2000). Serum calculated by
following equation:
T/ S x 10
Where T = titration
S = stander according to (Daly and Ertingshausen, 1972).
Laboratory analyses
Chloride (Cl) determination was done using atomic
absorption spectrophotometer acoring to (Singh et al.,
2005). Sodium (Na) concentration was analyzed
usingflame photometer (AOAC, 1990).
Statistical analysis
The data were analyzed by using a completely
randomized design (CRD) with the effect of stages as the
whole plots and effects of sampling as the sub-plots
(Steel and Torrie, 1980). SPSS was used for the
statistical analysis.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Blood serum sodium and chloride
Concentration of sodium (29.26 to 33.60 mmol/L) were
decreased significantly (P <0.05) at the flowering stage,
but increased at the seed setting stage. Both stage
interval effect was statistically not significant (P< 0.05) in
Chloride (57.82-62.63mg/dl) concentration (Table 1).
Serum sodium
High sodium concentration at the seed setting stage and
least concentration during the flowering stage was
observed in the present study. Abdelati (2005) during his
studiedy on goats, found that, the average concentration
of the sodium in the serum was 29.26 mmol/L; this was
likely because the goats received common salt on a daily
basis as a normal practice.
Albarran and Lugo (2012) determined the sodium
levels in the blood serum of goats in the South of the
State of Mexico during the dry season and found the
highest sodium (411.76mg/dl) and lowest sodium
(360.57mg/dl) values during the rainy season. All mean
plasma sodium values during seed setting stage were
higher than the flowering stage, which is consistent with
the findings of Miles et al. (2001).
This high plasma sodium level indicated that the
present level of sodium in forage was considered to be
effective during lactation due to secretion of large quality
of sodium in milk. The same result was reported by Khan
et al. (2009) for similar area of pasture in South Western
Punjab, Pakistan.
NRC (2007) research for small ruminants reported
normal blood sodium levels of 322 to 350 mg/dl. Our
goats had higher values suggesting that reproductive or
productive problems related to deficiencies of sodium
were unlikely. This was possibly because the goats
received common salt on a daily basis as a normal
practice according to survey study.
These results were in consonance with that of Khan et
al. (2003) who observed higher amount of plasma sodium
in sheep and goats during the winter than in the summer.
Furthermore, the deficient level of plasma sodium was
most likely to occur during lactation due to sodium
secretion in the large quantities in the milk as well as
through the sweat or due to low Na content in the
pasture. McDowell (2003) reported that age and class of
animals could affect requirements of minerals through
changes in the efficiency of absorption.
Serum chloride
Both stage intervals did not effect chloride
concentrations; a slight decreased in chloride

3. El hag et al. 156
Table 1. Blood serum of sodium and chloride during the flowering and seed setting stages.
Minerals
Stages
Flowering seed setting Means SE±
Sodium Na (mm/l) 29.26
a
33.60
b
31.43 0.41***
Chloride Cl (mg/dl) 57.82 62.63 60.22 2.18 ns
a,b
Values with the same raw bearing different superscript vary significantly at P <0.05 or P<0.001, *** = highly significant (P < 0.0001), ns= not significant
(57.82mg/dl) level during the flowering stage and an
increase (62.22 mg/dl) during the setting stage. Also the
results indicate that the research area is very poor in
chloride and sodium at flowering stage, this result is in
agreement and similar to the present study; indicated that
necessary therefore to adding sodium chloride as
supplement to animals in the water drinking. On the other
hand, the research recommended considering this
hypopottasia in feeding and keeping animals in the
research area by supplementing mineral licks containing
Na according to Sabir (2005).
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that were lower sodium concentration
at the flowering stage and higher during the seed setting
stage. However both stage intervals did not effect
chloride concentrations; a slight decreased in chloride
level during the flowering stage and an increase during
the seed setting stage.
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