BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE OF RUMEN LIQUOR, BLOOD AND URINE IN EXPERIMENTAL ACIDOSIS IN SHEEP

Acidosis was induced experimentally in six 2.5- to 3-year-old female s heep by oral feeding of soaked wheat at 90 g per kg BW. Samples of rum en liquor, blood and urine were collected prior to grain feeding (0 h) and thereafter at 12-, 24-, 48-, 72-, 96-, and 120-h intervals. Rumen liquor, blood and urine pH declined within 12 h while lactic acid con centration in blood and urine increased significantly. Total volatile fatty acids concentration in strained rumen liquor showed a steep rise between 0 (44.16 +/- 3.458 mmol l(-1)) and 12 h (83.00 +/- 2.988 mmol l(-1)) followed by a declining trend till the end of the experiment. Serum analysis revealed significant increase in urea (13.98 +/- 0.588 mmol l(-1)) and total protein (78.8 +/- 2.80 g l(-1)) at 48 h and 24 h , respectively. Serum enzyme activities also were elevated following a cidosis. Maximum serum creatinine phosphokinase (53.96 +/- 8.748 IU l( -1)), gamma glutamine transpeptidase (68.30 +/- 8.18 IU l(-1)), aspart ate amino transferase (60.80 +/- 7.651 IU l(-1)) and amylase (159.48 /- 18.467 IU l(-1)) activities were recorded at 96 h, 24 h and 24 h, r espectively. Glycosuria was evident in four sheep who died during the experiment. Results of this study indicate that clinico-biochemical ch anges in acidotic Sheep were principally attributable to lactacidaemia , hepatic and renal disfunction, and the severity was maximum between 12 and 24 h of grain feeding.