The influence of humid climate on the cardio-respiratory system of West African Dwarf sheep. (68)
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Keywords

Humid climate
Cardio-respiration
West African Dwarf sheep
Temperature
Pulse rate
Respiratory rate

How to Cite

The influence of humid climate on the cardio-respiratory system of West African Dwarf sheep. (68). (2002). Tropical Agriculture, 79(1). https://journals.sta.uwi.edu/ojs/index.php/ta/article/view/1360

Abstract

The cardio-respiratory responses of 25 West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep to humid climate changes were studied at the Sheep Unit of the University of Nigeria Research Farm, Nigeria, between 0630 h and 1860 h at 3-h intervals for 13 weeks, during the dry season (DecemberFebruary). Most of the environmental variables were at their peak at 1530 h. The animals exhibited the highest rectal temperature (39.7°C), pulse rate (79.36 beats min-1), and respiratory rate (76.2 breaths min-1) at 1530 h. There were negative regressions between rectal temperature and ambient temperature (Y = 26.92 + 0.09X), pulse rate and ambient temperature (Y = 36.99 + 1.36X), and between respiratory rate and environmental temperature (Y = -66.6 + 4.33X). Respiratory rate was positively correlated (P < 0.05) to the ambient temperature (r = 0.97), radiation intensity (r = 0.46), and wind velocity (r = 0.86), except the relative humidity which showed a negative relationship (r = -0.74).
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