Physiological responses of exotic sheep to different management systems in the humid tropics

M. A. Dollah, K. Musaddin, F. M. Abdullah and J. A. Johari

Abstract

A study was conducted on 40 (10 of each breed) newly imported Dorset Horn, Suffolk Border Leicester and corriedale rams !o evaluate their climatic adaptabiliry in the shed and grazing under orchards in the humid tropics. Measurements on rectal temperature, respiration rate, pulse rate, plasma tri-iodothyronine, thyroxine and the ratio of tri-iodothyronine to thyloxine in the morning and afternoon, water turnover rate, half life and total body water, in the shed and during grazing were taken. These results indicated that Dorset Horn had better climatic adaptability compared with the olher breed. The Border Leicester had similar adaptability as Dorset Horn but Suffolk and Corriedale breeds had difficulty maintaining bodY heat.

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