Objective: Sheep farming is an important source of livelihood in the southern Khyber Pakhtun Khwa province of Pakistan where they are reared under extensive system (ES). This system has limitations of improper feeding, rearing, and management which negatively affect their productivity. The pres¬ent study compares different rearing systems and their stresses on fertility, behavior, and growth rate potential of two sheep breeds of Pakistan. Materials and Methods: Eighty ewes were selected; forty each from Damani and Balkhi breeds reared in semi-intensive system (SIS) and ES at Paharpur district, Dera Ismail Khan. Blood samples were collected in triplicate on days 0, 14, and 28 of May, and the molecular and behavioral stress, growth, and fertility rates were recorded. Results: The highest growth and fertility rate were observed in both the breeds in SIS than in ES (p < 0.01). The values of stress indicators (cortisol, heat shock protein (HSP-70)) and behavioral stress parameters were found lower in Damani breed as compared to Balkhi breed in both rearing systems (p < 0.01). All the molecular stress and behavioral stress parameters were negatively associated with metabolic hormones (T3 and T4) (p < 0.01). A positive correlation was observed among all the molecular stress and behavioral stress parameters (p < 0.01). Similarly, T3 and T4 were positively interlinked to one another (p < 0.01). Conclusion: It was concluded that both Damani and Balkhi sheep showed lower stress levels and better fertility and growth parameter in SIS than ES system of rearing. Local Damani breed exhibited well tolerant ability and genetic adaptation to the local environment as compared to Balkhi breed. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2020; 7(1.000): 170-176]

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of geographical area (central and southwestern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) on hematological and biochemical blood parameters of autochthonous Pramenka sheep. Materials and The study included 104 sheep from the Vlasic mountain (central part) (n = 52) and Livno (southwestern part) (n = 52). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein into Vactuainer tubes with EDTA anticoagulant for hematological, for glucose, analyses and BD Vacutainer® SST II gel for biochemical analyses. All hematological and biochemical analyses were performed within the next 24 hours, and until then the samples were kept at 4 °C. Hematological parameters included total Red Blood Cell (RBC), White Blood Cell (WBC), Hemoglobin concentration (Hb), Hematocrit (Hct), Mean Corpuscolar Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscolar Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) and White Cell Differential Count (WCDC). Analyzes are carried out using the automated veterinary hematological analyzer Advia 120 SIEMENS. Blood in the serum tubes was allowed to clot for at least 30 min prior to centrifugation. Serum samples were kept frozen at -20 °C until biochemical analyses were performed. Biochemical parameters were determined by analyzer Olimpus AU400 with Beckman Coulter reagens according to the manufacturer’s protocol. Parameters for biochemistry panel included: total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLO), urea (BUM), creatinine (CRE), glucose (GLU), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK), cholesterol (CHO), bilirubin (BIL), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P),sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg). All analyzes were tested to spectrophotometric method, except for Na, K, Cl, which were generated by ISE method, or by ion selective method. BHBA and NEFA were constructed with reagents from Randox.Results: The values of WBC (p<0.05), RBC (p<0.001), Hb (p<0.001), PCV (p<0.001), MCV (0.05), NEU (p<0.01) from the Livno area, while the value of LYM (p<0.05) was determined for sheep from the Vlasic area. The correlative values between RBC: Hb (P<0.001), RBC:PCV (P<0.001), WBC:NEU (P<0.001), WBC:LYM (P<0.001), WBC:BAS (P<0.001) areas. The correlative correlation at P<0.01 was established between RBC:MCH, RBC:PLT, RBC:MPV in sheep from Vlasica area, while correlative values at P<0.05 were established between RBC:MPC, WBC:MON for sheep from the Livno area. The values of BHB (p<0.001), total protein (p<0.001), albumin (p<0.001), urea (p<0.001), AST (p<0.001), cholesterol (p<0.001) , magnesium (p<0.001) were determined for sheep in area Livno. The values of NEFA (p<0.001), creatinine (p<0.01), glucose (p<0.001), bilirubin (p<0.001), phosphate (p<0.001) were established for sheep in the Vlasic area. Correlative correlation (P<0.001) between total protein:chloride, calcium:phosphates, sodium:chlorides was found in animals from Vlasic area, while correlation was found (P<0.05) between sodium:chloride in animals from the Livno area.It was concluded that values showed significant differences for individual haematological and biochemical parameters in sheep for both investigated areas.