RESUMEN

The aim of the study was to evaluate daily rhythms of rectal temperature (RT) and body surface temperature (BST) of adult, yearling and foal donkeys during the cold-dry (harmattan) and hot-dry seasons in a tropical savanna. The RTs and BSTs of 30 clinically healthy, free-ranging donkeys were recorded using digital and infrared thermometers. The RT and BST of each donkey and thermal environmental parameters inside the pen were measured bi-hourly from 0600 to 0600 hours (GM + 1) on each experimental day. Application of single cosinor procedure showed that RT and BST exhibited varying levels of daily rhythmicity in both seasons, with values usually higher during the afternoon periods of the photophase of the light/dark cycle. The oscillatory pattern differed with season, with greater amplitude recorded during the cold-dry season than the hot-dry season. The acrophases of the RT and BST were mostly restricted to the photophase of the light/dark cycle in both seasons. The mean values of RT in the adult (37.10 ± 0.10 °C), yearling (37.19 ± 0.10 °C) and foal (37.45 ± 0.11 °C) donkeys were higher (F = 93.41, P < 0.0001) during the hot-dry season than the cold-dry season (35.40 ± 0.05 °C, 35.50 ± 0.04 °C and 36.20 ± 0.05 °C, respectively). In conclusion, seasonal changes influenced significantly the daily rhythmicity of RT and BST in donkeys, kept under natural light/dark cycle.

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RESUMEN

The review examines the role of blood in homeostasis, diagnosis and treatment of disease as influenced by meteorological stress factors, age, sex and physical activity of the donkeys. Haematological parameters play a crucial role in clinical diagnosis of infectious and parasitic diseases, in assessing the responses of donkeys to treatment and in prevention of diseases. The changes in blood values are important in evaluating the responses of the animals to various physiologic conditions. In conclusion, haematological values of donkeys are largely influenced by age, sex, physical factors of the environment and physical activity, and consideration of the factors will aid accurate diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of equine diseases.

RESUMEN

The aim of this study was to investigate the ameliorative effect of Lawsonia inermis Linn used traditionally against trypanosomosis. Twenty-five adult Wistar rats of both sex were individually infected intraperitoneally (IP) with 106Trypanosoma congolense per ml of blood. Following establishment of infection, the rats were randomly divided into five groups of 5 rats each. Rats in groups I, II, and III were treated with 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg of the extract, respectively, while rats in groups IV and V were treated with 3.5 mg/kg and 2 ml/kg of diminazene aceturate (DM) once and physiological buffered saline, respectively. All treatments except DM were given orally for 7 days IP. The antitrypanosomal effect of the plant was assessed by observing the level of parasitaemia daily, packed cell volume (PCV) weekly, erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration on day 21. Phytochemical screening of the extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, triterpenes, steroids, cardiac glycosides, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. The extract significantly (P < 0.05) reduced levels of parasitaemia at 250 mg/kg. PCV was higher (P > 0.05) in extract treated groups but significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group II at week 2 when compared to group V. Rats in group II had significantly lower values of EOF and MDA when compared with groups IV and V. Thus, the leaf of L. inermis has in addition to an antitrypanosomal effect against T. congolense in rats, an attenuating effect on the trypanosomosis pathology probably mediated via protection of the erythrocyte membrane against trypanosome-induced oxidative damage to the erythrocytes.

RESUMEN

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of age and season on haematological parameters of donkeys at rest during the rainy and cold-dry seasons. Thirty healthy donkeys divided into three groups based on their age served as the subjects. During each season, blood sample was collected from each donkey thrice, 2 weeks apart, for haematological analysis, and the dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity (RH) and temperature-humidity index (THI) were obtained thrice each day during the experimental period using standard procedures. During the rainy season, the mean DBT (33.05 ± 0.49 °C), RH (73.63 ± 1.09 %) and THI (84.39 ± 0.71) were higher (P < 0.0001) than the corresponding values of 24.00 ± 0.44 °C, 36.80 ± 0.92 % and 64.80 ± 0.62, during the cold-dry season. Packed cell volume (PCV), erythrocyte count [red blood cell (RBC)], haemoglobin concentration (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), platelet count (PLT), leucocyte count [white blood cell (WBC)], lymphocyte count (LYM) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) were higher (P < 0.05) in adults than foals during the rainy season. The MCV, MCH, WBC, NEU, LYM and PLT of adult and yearling donkeys were higher (P < 0.05) during the rainy than the cold-dry season. The PCV, RBC, Hb, MCV, MCH, and NEU of foals were higher in the rainy than the cold-dry season. The N/L of adult and foal donkeys were higher (P < 0.05) in the rainy than in the cold-dry season. In conclusion, PCV, RBC, Hb and LYM were considerably higher in foals than yearlings or adults during the rainy season, while erythrocytic indices and platelet counts were higher in adults or yearlings than in foals in both seasons. Erythrocytic indices, PLT and N/L were higher in the rainy than the cold-dry season in adults, yearlings and foals.

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RESUMEN

The present experiment was performed with the aim of investigating the effect of season on behavioral activities of donkeys during the rainy and harmattan seasons in the Northern Guinea zone of Nigeria. Sixteen apparently healthy donkeys were used as subjects and divided into four groups based on age. During each season, behavioral activities of each donkey were evaluated for three weeks using the focal animal sampling technique. The dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity (RH), and temperature-humidity index (THI) were obtained three times each day during the experimental period using standard procedures. In the rainy season, the mean DBT (31.65 ± 0.49°C), RH (73.63 ± 1.09%), and THI (84.39 ± 0.71) were significantly (P<0.0001) higher than the corresponding values of 24.00 ± 0.44°C, 36.80 ± 0.92%, and 64.80 ± 0.62 in the harmattan season. During the rainy season, the donkeys spent 60.00 ± 0.77%, 25.40 ± 0.69%, and 2.94 ± 0.21% on grazing, resting, and grooming, respectively. During the harmattan season, the donkeys spent the most time on grazing (76.76 ± 0.43%), less time on resting (11.97 ± 0.38%), and the least time on grooming (0.89 ± 0.05%). In conclusion, season and seasonal variations affect the daytime behavioral activities of donkeys in the zone, and this should be considered in husbandry practices for donkeys.