Abstract
Forty Dorper × Pelibuey sheep females were used to evaluate the effects of physiological state on physiological variables and serum concentrations of metabolites, thyroid hormones, and electrolytes under outdoor heat stress conditions. Females were selected as follows (n = 10 per group): weaning ewe lambs (WEL; 3 months old), replacement nulliparous ewes (RNE; 8 months old), non-pregnant and non-lactating multiparous ewes (NME; 3–4 years old) and lactating multiparous ewes (LME; 3–4 years old). While physiological variables were measured both morning and afternoon, blood samples were collected before feeding in the morning to determine all blood components. Three contrasts were constructed: (1) WEL vs. older ewes, (2) RNE vs. multiparous ewes, and (3) NME vs. LME. Compared with older ewes, WEL had higher (P < 0.01) rectal temperature (RT) and hair coat temperatures through the day, and also higher (P < 0.01) respiratory rate (RR) only in the afternoon. Serum levels of glucose and cholesterol were lower (P ≤ 0.02) in WEL than in older ewes. Nulliparous ewes compared with multiparous had always similar RT but higher (P ≤ 0.05) hair coat temperatures in most of the body regions by the morning and higher (P < 0.01) RR, without difference for hair coat temperatures in the afternoon. Only serum glucose (P = 0.07) and urea nitrogen (P < 0.01) levels were affected by parturition number, being lower in multiparous ewes. Regarding the effect of lactation, while RR was unaffected, afternoon RT and hair coat temperatures in most of the body regions through the day were higher (P ≤ 0.03) in lactating ewes. In addition, LME had lower (P < 0.01) serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, and urea nitrogen, but higher (P = 0.02) triiodothyronine levels than NME. In conclusion, ewe lambs and lactating ewes were less tolerant to heat stress, while nulliparous and multiparous ewes showed similar thermoregulatory ability.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdalla EB, Kotby EA, Johnson HD (1993) Physiological responses to heat-induced hyperthermia of pregnant and lactating ewes. Small Rumin Res 11:125–134
Alameen AO, Abdelatif AM, Elnageeb ME (2014) Circadian variations of thermoregulation, blood constituents and hormones in crossbred dairy cows in relation to level of milk production. J Vet Adv 4:466–480
Al-Dawood A (2017) Towards heat stress management in small ruminants—a review. Ann Anim Sci 17:59–88
Arfuso F, Rizzo M, Giannetto C, Giudice E, Fazio F, Piccione G (2016) Age-related changes of serum mitocondrial uncoupling 1, rumen and rectal temperature in goats. J Therm Biol 59:47–51
Baumgard LH, Rhoads P (2013) Effects of heat stress on postabsorptive metabolism and energetics. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 1:7.1–7.27
Blood DC (2002) Manual de Medicina Veterinaria (9 Ed.). Editorial McGraw-Hill/Interamericana de España. Pp. 1–790
Brockman RP (2005) Glucose and short chain fatty acid metabolism. In: Dijkstra J, Forbes JM, France J (eds) Quantitative aspects of ruminant digestion and metabolism. CAB International, Wallingford, pp 291–309
Carlos MML, Leite JHGM, Chaves DF, Vale AM, Facanha DAE, Melo MM, Soto-Blanco B (2015) Blood parameters in the Morada Nova sheep: influence of age, sex and body condition score. J Anim Plant Sci 25:950–955
Das R, Sailo L, Verma N, Bharti P, Saikia J, Imtiwati KR (2016) Impact of heat stress on health and performance of dairy animals: a review. Vet World 9:260–268
Durak MH, Erkan REC, Ḉelik R, Yokus B, Kurt D, Gürgöze S (2015) The effects of age and gender on some biochemical serum parameters in Zom sheep raised in the vicinity of Karacadağ. Isr J Vet Med 70:33–39
Fonseca VCF, Saraiva EP, Maia ASC, Nascimiento CCN, da Silva JA, Pereira WE, Filho ECP, Almeida MEV (2017) Models to predict both sensible and latent heat transfer in the respiratory Trat of Morada Nova sheep semiarid tropical environment. Int J Biometeorol 61:777–784
Grebremedhin KG, Wu B (2016) Modeling heat loss from the udder of a dairy cow. J Therm Biol 59:34–38
Indu S, Sejian V, Naqvi SMK (2015) Impact of simulated heat stress on growth, physiological adaptability, blood metabolites and endocrine responses in Malpura ewes under semiarid tropical environment. Anim Prod Sci 55:766–776
INEGI (2014) Anuario estadístico y geográfico de Baja California. Available in: http://www.datatur.sectur.gob.mx/ITxEF_Docs/BCN_ANUARIO_PDF.pdf
Lenis SY, Zuluaga CAM, Tarazona MAM (2015) Adaptive response to thermal stress in mammals. Rev Med Vet 31:121–135
Lérias J, Hernández-Castellano L, Suárez-Trujillo A, Castro N, Pourlis A, Almeida A (2014) The mammary gland in small ruminants: major morphological and functional events underlying milk production—a review. J Dairy Res 81:304–318
Lima MB, Monteiro MVB, Jorge EM, Campello CC, Rodrigues LFS, Viana RB, Monteiro FOB, Costa CTC (2015) Blood reference intervals and the influence of age and gender on hematologic and biochemical parameters of Santa Ines sheep in the eastern Amazon. Acta Amazon 45:317–322
MacFarlane WV (1958) Experimental approaches to the functions of tropical livestock. Arid Zone Res (UNESCO) 11:227–234
Macías-Cruz U, Avendaño-Reyes L, Álvarez-Valenzuela FD, Torrentera-Olivera NG, Meza-Herrera CA, Mella-Bosque M, Correa-Calderón A (2013) Growth and carcass characteristics of ewe lambs treated with zilpaterol hydrochloride during spring and summer. Rev Mex Cienc Pecu 4:1–12
Macías-Cruz U, Gastelum MA, Álvarez-Valenzuela FD, Correa-Calderón A, Díaz R, Meza-Herrera CA, Mellado M, Avendaño-Reyes L (2016a) Effects of summer heat stress on physiologic variables, ovulation and progesterone secretion in Pelibuey ewes under natural outdoor conditions in an arid region. Anim Sci J 87:354–360
Macías-Cruz U, López-Baca MA, Vicente R, Mejía A, Álvarez FD, Correa-Calderón A, Meza-Herrera CA, Mellado M, Guerra-Liera JE, Avendaño-Reyes L (2016b) Effects of seasonal ambient heat stress (spring vs. summer) on physiological and metabolic variables in hair sheep located in an arid region. Int J Biometeorol 60:1279–1286
Madureira KM, Gomes V, Barcelos B, Zani BH, Shecaira CL, Baccili CC, Benesi FS (2013) Hematological and biochemical parameters of Dorper ewes. Semina Ciências Agárias 34:811–816
Mahjoubi E, Hossein YM, Aghaziarati N, Noori GR, Afsarian O, Baumgard LH (2015) The effect of cyclical and severe heat stress on growth performance and metabolism in Afshari lambs. J Anim Sci 93:1632–1640
Marai IFM, El-Darawany AA, Fadiel A, Abdel-Hafez MAM (2007) Physiological traits as affected by heat stress in sheep- a review. Small Rumin Res 71:1–12
McManus C, Louvandini H, Gugel R, Sasaki LCB, Bianchini E, Bernal FEM, Paiva SR, Paim TP (2011) Skin and coat traits in sheep in Brazil and their relation with heat tolerance. Trop Anim Health Prod 43:121–126
Mortola JP (2001) Respiratory physiology of newborn mammals: a comparative perspective. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore
Neves MLMW, de Azecedo M, da Costa LAB, Guim A, Leite AM, Chagas JC (2009) Critical levels of the thermal comfort index for Santa Ines sheep under grazing at the agreste region of Pernambuco state. Acta Sci Anim Sci 31:169–175
NRC (2007) Nutrient requirements of small ruminants: sheep, goat, cervids, and new world camelids. Natl Acad. Press, Washington, D.C.
Piccione G, Caola G, Ferinetti R (2002) Maturation of the daily body temperature rhythm in sheep and horse. J Therm Biol 27:333–336
Piccione G, Caola G, Refinetti R (2007) Annual rhythmicity and maturation of physiological parameter in goats. Res Vet Sci 83:239–243
Polsky L, von Keyserlingk MAG (2017) Invited review: effects of heat stress on dairy cattle welfare. J Dairy Sci 100:8645–8657
Samara EM, Ayadi M, Al-Haidary AA, Aljumaah RS (2013) Thermophysiological study in lactating and dry camels (Camelus dromedarius) under summer conditions. Emir J Food Agric 25:308–313
SAS (ed) (2004) SAS/STAT: User’s guide statistics released 9.1, 2nd edn. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary
Sejian V, Maurya VP, Naqvi SMK (2010) Adaptability and growth of Malpura ewes subjected to thermal and nutritional stress. Trop Anim Health Prod 42:1763–1770
Sevi A, Caroprese M (2012) Impact of heat stress on milk production, immunity and udder health in sheep: a critical review. Small Rumin Res 107:1–7
Smith RE, Heath ME, Ingram DL (1977) Role of the udder in heat loss from the sheep. J Therm Biol 3:125–128
Srikandakumar A, Johnson EH, Mahgoub O (2003) Effect of heat stress on respiratory rate, rectal temperature and blood chemistry in Omani and Australian merino sheep. Small Rumin Res 49:193–198
Symonds ME, Andrews DC, Buss DS, Clarke L, Darby CJ, Johnson P, Lomax MA (1995) Environmental effects on thermoregulation and breathing patterns during early postnatal development in hand-reared lambs. Exp Physiol 80:779–792
Thwaites CJ (1967) Age and heat tolerance in sheep. Int J Biometeorol 11:209–212
Titto CG, Veríssimo CJ, Pereira AMF, Geraldo AM, Katiki LM, Titto EAL (2016) Thermoregulatory response in hair sheep and shorn wool sheep. Small Rumin Res 144:341–345
Todini L (2007) Thyroid hormones in small ruminants: effects of endogenous, environmental and nutritional factors. Animal 1:997–1008
Piccione G, Messina V, Vazzana I, Dara S, Giannetto C, Assenza A (2012) Seasonal variations of some serum electrolyte concentrations in sheep and goats. Comparative Clinical Pathology 21 (5):911–915.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Macías-Cruz, U., Correa-Calderón, A., Mellado, M. et al. Thermoregulatory response to outdoor heat stress of hair sheep females at different physiological state. Int J Biometeorol 62, 2151–2160 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1615-2
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-018-1615-2