Role of Insulin and/or Fasting in a Protocol for Inducing Pregnancy Toxemia in Twin-Bearing Zaraibi Goats

In this study we determined the effect of insulin injection and /or short fasting on the induction of pregnancy toxemia in Zariabi goats. Eighteen twin-bearing Zaraibi goats (around 130 days of gestation) were divided into control group (Group C, n = 6) fed ad labtium, feed deprived only group (Group A, n = 6) and feed deprived with insulin injection group (Group B, n = 6). Clinical signs of pregnancy toxemia appeared after 24 and 72 h in group B and A, respectively. Refeeding and 50 ml of 500 gm dextrose /l were injected after appearance of the clinical signs every 12 h for two successive doses. Plasma concentrations of glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate were significantly (p < 0.01) decreased by 24 and 36 h respectively in group-A, and these variables were significantly decreased by 12 and 24 h in groupB. Concentrations of glucose and β-hydroxybutyrate were returned to the control levels (p > 0.1) at 48 h of refeeding and injection of dextrose in both experimentally induced groups. There was significant (P < 0.05) decrease in the length of gestation in both experimental groups (A & B) than that of control one. The lengths of gestation were 140.3 ± 1.1, 139.2 ± 0.8 and 149.1 ± 1.4 days in group A, B and C, respectively. Simple protocol of short fasting combined with insulin injection can induce pregnancy toxemia and this protocol might be used for valuable studies for pregnancy toxemia in twin-bearing Zaraibi goats.