Evaluation of dehydration indicators in dairy goats bred at pasture

At pasture, high temperatures, solar radiation, and absence of shade are factors that contribute to increase heat stress, forcing the animals to make great thermoregulation efforts. For these reasons, it is essential to ensure easy access to water points for livestock, either natural (e.g., ponds, river) and artificial (e.g., cisterns, fountains, collection tanks). However, no valid indicator is available to assess the effect of prolonged thirst on the welfare of dairy goats at pasture. Aim of this study was to evaluate the dehydration condition of dairy goats using tests already validated in other species during the summer alpine grazing season