Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T20:44:51.611Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Some observations on high- and low-potassium Chokla sheep given water intermittently under semi-arid conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

T. More ,
P. S. Rawat  and
K. L. Sahni
T. More
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar (Via Jaipur), Rajasthan 304501, India
P. S. Rawat
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar (Via Jaipur), Rajasthan 304501, India
K. L. Sahni
Affiliation:
Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar (Via Jaipur), Rajasthan 304501, India
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Non-breeding groups, I, II and III, each with six high-potassium (HK) and six lowpotassium(LK) Chokla ewes were given water once in 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. In the next summer, seven ewes (4 HK and 3 LK) from each group I, II and III were switched over to a watering schedule of once in 24, 72 and 96 h respectively and were naturally bred. All the animals were maintained on grazing alone.

Water deprivation for 72 h caused 18·8 and 19·2% body weight loss in HK and LKewes respectively; an overall average maintenance of weight loss in LK ewes was significantly higher than in HK ewes from the same group. There were significant differences in water intake due to treatments only. The HK and LK ewes from groups I and III showed a similar trend.

Pregnant ewes of HK and LK types given water once in 96 h lost 21·7 and 23·8% of their body weights respectively. Corresponding weight loss in aborted ewes were 23·8 and 33·3%. Two ewes, each from 3 LK and 4 HK animals aborted owing to water deprivation for 96 h. The water intake reached 30 and 36·5% of body weight in LK and HK pregnant ewes given water intermittently.

The wool attributes of non-pregnant ewes did not indicate a significant influence of blood potassium types. Four out of five ewes of the LK phenotype died during 3 years, irrespective of watering schedule.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 96 , Issue 2 , April 1981 , pp. 463 - 469
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Agar, N. S., Evans, J. V.& Roberts, J. (1972). Red blood cells potassium and haemoglobin polymorphism in sheep – a review. Animal Breeding Abstracts 40, 407–436.Google Scholar
Dobson, A.& Phillipson, A. T. (1962). Individuality and the effect of early summer grazing on ruminants. In Colston papers (C. S. Ounsell and A. I. Wright), Proceedings of Symposium Colston Research Society 13, 1–12.Google Scholar
Evans, J. V. (1957). Water metabolism in the sheep. Nature, London 180, 756.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Evans, J. V., Agar, N. S.& Roberts, J. (1970). A physiological approaoh: breeding for environment. Proceedings of Australian Society of Animal Production VIII, 80–85.Google Scholar
Ghosh, P. K.& Taneja, G. C. (1970). Nitrogen balance studies in high and low blood potassium type sheep. Indian Veterinary Journal 47, 737–741.Google Scholar
Kalla, S. D.& Ghosh, P. K. (1974). A note on the relationship between wool quality and blood potassium type in sheep. Animal Blood Groups and Biochemical Genetics 5, 167–169.Google Scholar
King, J. W. B., Evans, J. V., Harris, H.& Warren, F. L. (1958). The performance of sheep with differing haemoglobin and potassium blood types Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 51, 342–346.Google Scholar
McDowell, R. E. (1972). Improvement of Livestock Production in Warm Climates, 130 pp. San Francisco: W. A. Freeman & Co.Google Scholar
MacFarlane, W. V.& Howard, B. (1970). Water in the physiological ecology of ruminants. In Physiology of Digestion and Metabolism in the Ruminant (ed.Phillipson, A. T.), pp. 362–374. Newcastle: Oriel Press.Google Scholar
MacFarlane, W. V., Howard, B.& Good, B. F. (1974). Tracers in field measurements of water, milk and thyroxine metabolism of tropical ruminants. Tracer techniques in Tropical Animal Production; IAEA-PL-507/1–23.Google Scholar
MacFarlane, W. V., Morris, R. J. H., Howard, B., McDonald, J. & Budtz-Olsen, O. E. (1961). Water and electrolytes change in tropical Merino sheep exposed to dehydration during summer. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 12, 889–912.Google Scholar
More, T. (1975). Biochemical studies in relation to water requirements of sheep under semi-arid conditions. Ph.D. thesis, University of Agra, India.Google Scholar
More, T., Pachlag, S. V. & Sahni, K. L. (1975). Incidence of blood potassium types and mortality in sheep under semi-arid conditions. Indian Veterinary Journal 52, 687.Google Scholar
More, T. & Sahni, K. L. (1977). The effect of water deprivation on wool production of Chokla sheep under semi-arid conditions. Indian Veterinary Journal 54, 818–822.Google Scholar
Purchit, G. R., Ghosh, P. K. & Taneja, G. C. (1973). Effect of varying degrees of water restriction on the distribution of body water in high- and low-potassiumtype Marwari sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 80, 177–180.Google Scholar
Ryder, M. L.& Stephenson, S. K. (1968). Wool Growth, 439 pp. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Schmidt-Nielsen, K. (1956). The Future of Arid Lands, 368 pp. Washington: American Association for Advancement of Science.Google Scholar
Taneja, G. C. (1967). Water intake in relation to blood potassium types in desert sheep. Experientia 23, 645–646.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taneja, G. C. (1968). Hairiness in wool in relation to blood potassium types in Marwari sheep. Experientia 24, 696.Google Scholar
Taneja, G. C. (1973). Further studies on blood potassium types in sheep in relation to animal production in temperate and arid environment. Proceedings of Indian National Science Academy 39 (Part B), No. 195–118.Google Scholar
Taneja, G. C., Fuladi, B. M. & Abichandani, R. K. (1967). Blood potassium types and body temperature during exercise in Marwari sheep. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 5, 188–189.Google Scholar
Taneja, G. C., Ghosh, P. K., Abichandani, R. K. & Goyal, D. (1971). Seasonal variations in blood composition in high and low potassium type Marwari Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 77, 37–41.Google Scholar
Tucker, E. M. (1977). Genetic differences in the metabolism of farm animals. Proceedings of Nutritional Society 36, 941–945.Google Scholar
Watson, J. H. & Khattab, A. C. H. (1964). The effect of haemoglobin and potassium polymorphism on growth and wool production in Welsh Mountain sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 63, 179–183.Google Scholar