The study aimed to determine the effect of an abrupt change from fresh-water (FW) to
diluted seawater (DW) on physiological responses, blood biochemical parameters, and
weight gain in Bach Thao goats. The study was designed in completely randomized with
four treatments (n=5 each), including a control as goats drinking FW, goats drinking 0.5
% diluted seawater (low, DW LDW), goats drinking 1.0 % DW (moderate DW, MDW)
and goats drinking 1.5 % DW (high DW, HDW). The experiment was performed for 63
days with 7 days as the pre-treatment period and 56 days as the treatment period. Dry
matter intake (DMI) decreased as saline water increased throughout the experiment
(P≤0.05), particularly from the 5th to 8th weeks (P≤0.05). The effect of DW on water
intake (WI) was found from the 4th to 8th weeks of the experiment (P≤0.05). Animal from
MDW group has the highest WI significantly, whereas animals from the HDW consumed
the least water compared to MDW. The respiration rate in HDW was greater than other
groups from 07:00 to 19:00 h, while the rectal temperature in HDW increased at 09:00,
11:00, 15:00, 17:00 and 19:00h as compared to the FW group (P≤0.05). The body weight
was similar to among treatments, but animals drank with high SW were lower weight
gain than those in control (P≤0.05). Bach Thao goats in HDW altered blood biochemical
parameters in the eighth week, not in the fourth week. We concluded that Bach Thao
goats drank highly diluted seawater within 56 days had negative effects on production
and may impair the functions of liver and kidney. Besides, Bach Thao goats from the
HDW group have their decreased total daily water intake to minimize salt stress.