Thermal stress causes oxidative stress and physiological changes in female rabbits

The present study investigated the effects of heat stress on oxidative status and physiological changes using female New Zealand White rabbits. 24 sexually mature rabbits weighing 1953.1–2375.4 g were divided into 4 groups 6 animals each subjected to ambient temperature (T0: 19–26 °C), 27–28 °C for T1, 31–32 T2 35–36 T3 electrical heaters from 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. daily 30 days. Feed intake body weight gain recorded daily. Behavioral alterations anxiety, dizziness, aggression, withdrawal, impaired feed observed. At end experimental period sacrificed, blood samples vital organs such as liver, kidney, heart, ovaries, uterus collected appropriate analysis. Results revealed that had an 11% decrease in final weights 62% but increase conversion ratio by 64.81%, 24.19% water intake, 3.64% rectal 2.42% skin compared control. Dizziness, withdrawal a corner cage reduced live lungs kidneys increased 37.71% 33.78% while ovaries decreased same T3. Animals showed significant (p < 0.05) 23.64% hemoglobin concentration, 12.73% red cells, 11.93% packed cell volume, 12.02% total protein mean corpuscular white lymphocytes, creatinine, urea aspartate transaminase respectively 10.73%, 42.37%, 15.53%, 28.98%, 53.2% 23.31% kidney level malondialdehyde was significantly 74.29%, whereas protein, catalase, superoxide dismutase glutathione peroxidase activity lower with It concluded long-term exposure elevated temperatures induces accompanying consequently impairs function.