Effect of diurnal variation and ascorbic acid administration on rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory rates in sheep during wet season in Sokoto

The research was conducted to study diurnal variation and effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory rates of sheep during wet season in Sokoto. The study was conducted on ten (10) apparently healthy Oudah breed of sheep with mean age and weight of 15.9 ± 11.0 months and 24.7 ± 11.67 kg respectively. The animals were grouped into two groups of five animals each. 100mg/kg Ascorbic acid was administered daily for eight days to the experimental group while the control group was not given anything. Rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory  rates were taken at 6am, 10am, 2pm and 6pm. Finding indicate that rectal temperature at 6am are significantly (P 0.03) between 2pm and 6pm temperature. At 10am the temperature was significantly lower (P< 0.05) than those of 2pm and 6pm in the control group but not in the experimental group. The pulse rate at 2pm was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of 6am, 10am and 6pm in the experimental group. The respiratory rates at 6am were significantly lower (P<0.05) than those of 2pm and also 6pm in the experimental group. Ascorbic acid administration did not significantly cause any decrease in the rectal temperature, pulse and respiratory rates of the experimental group compared to the control group with the experimental group slightly higher than the control group.