PSX-16 The effect of short-term heat stress on physiological, hematological, and immunological parameters of Florida Cracker Sheep

Abstract Florida Cracker sheep are a heritage sheep breed that was developed under natural selection in Florida, US. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of short-term heat stress on rectal temperature, respiration rate, hematological parameters, and IgA concentrations of Florida Cracker ewes (2 yr of age). A total of fourteen ewes were allocated to heat stress (HT, n = 7) or cooling (CTL, n = 7) conditions for 6 wk during the summer season. Treatment groups were grouped in covered concrete floor pens with similar dimensions and characteristics and had access to shelter, feed, and freshwater ad libitum. The HT pen was exposed to regular ambient temperatures, and for the cooling pen, an evaporative cooling fan was used. Data for ambient temperature and relative humidity of HT and CTL pens were recorded every week to estimate the temperature humidity index (THI). Blood samples were collected from each experimental ewe 1 wk before the start of the experiment (baseline) and at wk 1, wk 2, wk 3, wk 4, wk 5, and wk 6 post-treatment. Blood samples were analyzed using a hematology analyzer (Vetscan HM5, Zoetis). Plasma was extracted from the blood and was used to evaluate IgA concentrations with a commercial kit. For the statistical analysis of the physiological, hematological, and immunological parameters, a mixed model with repeated measures was used. Fixed effects included treatment (HT or CTL), wk (1 to 6), and the treatment by week interaction. Animal was fitted as a random effect and the baseline data was used as a covariate. The THI for the HT and CTL groups ranged from 81.3 to 89.5 and from 73.5 to 75.6, respectively. The HT group presented a significant (P < 0.05) increase in respiratory rate when compared with the CTL group. No significant changes were observed for rectal temperature and IgA concentrations in the experimental groups. However, for wk 3, a significant (P < 0.05) increase of neutrophils and a decrease in lymphocyte % was observed for the HT group. In conclusion, short-term heat stress increased respiratory rate and neutrophil % and decreased the lymphocyte % in Florida Cracker ewes. It is possible that heat stress could have a detrimental impact on immune mechanisms in Florida Cracker ewes. Further studies are required to investigate the effects of long-term heat stress.