Journal of Environmental Biology

Effects of housing systems on physiological and energetic

parameters in comisana ewes

 

P. Pennisi¹, L. Biondi¹, S. Casella²? and G. Piccione*^2???

¹Department of? Agronomy, Agrochemistry and Animal Production Science, Section of Animal

Production, University of Catania - 95123, Catania, Italy

 

²Department of Experimental Science and Applied Biotechnology, Section of Veterinary, Physiology and

Comparative? Ethology,? University of Messina - 98168, Messina, Italy

(Received: July 24, 2009; Revised received: January 02, 2010; Accepted: March 25, 2010)

 

Abstract: The pattern of some physiological parameters (rectal temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate) and some energetic parameters (glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and total lipid) has been investigated with the purpose to assess the influence of shearing on thermoregulation. Thirty-six Comisana ewes were divided into two groups of 18 subjects and were allowed to two different housing systems: animals of group A were housed in an open-front barn with a paddock and animals of group B to a paddock equipped with shading net. After a period of adaptation to the experimental conditions, individual rectal temperature, respiratory and heart rates were measured. The serum concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and total lipid were also assessed. All parameters were recorded, with an average interval of eleven days during 90 days, from July 15^th to October 11. The statistical analysis, the ANOVA followed by the Bonferroni?s test, showed a significant effect of the time for respiratory rate, heart rate and glucose and it showed that during experimental period the type of housing system influenced glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol and total lipid. These results confirm that different micro-environmental conditions can influence thermoregulatory mechanisms with effects on the productivity and on the welfare of ewes.

Key words: Housing systems, Physiological parameters, Energetic parameters, Ewes

Copyright ? 2010 Triveni Enterprises. All rights reserved. No part of the Journal can be reproduced in any form without prior permission. Responsibility regarding the authenticity of the data, and the acceptability of the conclusions enforced or derived, rest completely with the author(s).