Daily dynamic changes of blood acid-base status and vital parameters in lambs and goat kids over the first seven days after birth

•Acid-base and vital parameters change in lambs and kids over the 1st week of life.•Acid-base status resulted statistically correlated with vital parameters.•Findings reflect physiological adjustments occurring during early neonatal period. The current study aimed to monitor how blood acid-base status and vital parameters, including rectal temperature (RT), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), change in lambs and goat kids over the first week of life. Ten female Comisana lambs and 10 female Maltese goat kids were enrolled in the study. For each animal, RT, RR, HR measurement and blood sampling were daily performed from birth for a 7 day period (Day1–Day7). RR and HR decreased throughout study period (P < 0.05) in both species; pH showed lower values at Day1, Day2 and Day3 compared to Day6 and Day7 in lambs. Increased pO2 values were found in lambs and goat kids during the first 5 days after birth (P < 0.05). Lambs and goat kids showed higher pCO2 values during the first hours of life than the rest of study period (P < 0.05). Higher HCO3− values were found at Day1 and at Day4 compared to the rest of study period in lambs (P < 0.05). RT, RR, HR and pCO2 displayed a significant negative correlation with time in both lambs and goat kids, whereas, the pH values resulted positively correlated with time. In both species RT values were negatively correlated with pH and pO2, and positively correlated with pCO2; RR and HR resulted negatively correlated with pH and pO2, and positively correlated with pCO2. The observed changes reflect the physiological adjustments likely to occur in a newborn animal following transition from the controlled uterine environment to the free-living state and emphasize the importance of a deep knowledge on these physiologic parameters for an early diagnosis of risk factors or any situations that involve an high-risk newborn.