engleski

Blood indicators in nutritional status assessment of Dubrovnik sheep : Croatian endangered breed

Dubrovnik sheep is the most endangered Croatian autochthon breed of sheep. The paper aims to determine which blood indicators can be used in nutritional status assessment of Dubrovnik sheep. The investigation was conducted with 30 sheep of Dubrovnik sheep breed at average age of 3 years. The sheep were divided into three groups depending on the feeding mode. A control group fed only pasture. Apart from the pasture, on their way to the cot, the first experimental group sheep were also fed corn (300 g/head) whereas the sheep from the 2nd experimental group consumed feed mixture composed of 16% crude proteins (300 g/head). The sheep had meadow hay and water ad libitum. Depending on the ration type, statistically significant differences in concentration of inorganic phosphorus, triglycerides, urea, glucose, creatinine, albumin as well as level of thyroid gland hormone - thyroxine (T4) were determined in the sheep blood serum. Analysis of the obtained blood indicators show that concentrations of glucose, cholesterol and thyroxine can be used as a good criterion in sheep energy supply assessment whereas inorganic phosphorus and potassium concentration can be taken as a good indicator of estimating animal supply with these elements. Sheep supply with proteins can be assessed by determining concentration of blood urea, creatinine and albumin. Statistically a higher concentration of urea, albumin, creatinine, triglycerides, glucose and thyroxine was recorded in the 2nd experimental group compared with other groups of sheep. At the same time body condition scores can be taken as a reliable criterion in estimating sheep nutritional status. While analysing productive indicators (body weights and body measures) the best values appeared to be in the sheep of the 2nd experimental group. Blood indices are suggested to use as a reliable criterion in sheep nutritional status assessment.

Dubrovnik sheep ; nutritional status ; blood indices

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