Abstract :

The study was carried out to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with lemon seed powder on growth, nutrient digestibility, blood indices with thermo-physiological parameters, heat stress and heat tolerances co-efficient of West African dwarf sheep. Two hundred West African dwarf male sheep aged etween 7 and 8 months old with initial average live body weight of 7.00 ± 0.15kg were used for the study. They were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with fifty sheep per treatment in a completely randomized design. The prepared experimental diets that were offered to sheep comprised TD₁ (60% guinea grass with 40% formulated diet that contained no lemon seed powder as control group), TD₂ (60% guinea grass with 40% formulated diet that contained 0.50% lemon seed powder), TD₃ (60% guinea grass with 40% formulated diet that contained 1.00% lemon seed powder) and TD₄ (60% guinea grass with 40% formulated diet that contained 1.50% lemon seed powder). All parameters obtained in the study were subjected to one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that feed conversion ratio (4.28), digestibility of ether extract (70.13%), faecal with urinary nitrogen output (4.05 and 1.87g/day), total nitrogen output (5.92g/day), cholesterol (64.01mg/dl), creatinine (1.03mg/dl), urea (11.96mg/dl), relative humidity (morning 95.92%, midday 60.73%  & evening 90.73%), rectal temperature (morning 38.70 ⁰C, midday 39.76 ⁰C & evening 38.96⁰C), respiratory rate (morning 24.36 breaths/min, midday 25.43 breaths/min & evening 24.73 breaths/min), heart rate  (morning 83.92 beats/min, midday 89.71 beats/min  & evening 80.23 beats/min), skin surface (morning 29.01 ⁰C, midday 32.46 ⁰C  & evening  30.67⁰C), temperature humidity index (morning 73. 37, midday 80.94 & evening 73.33), black globe humidity index (morning 75.48, midday 79.82 & evening 77.34) and heat stress index (morning 79.55, midday 82.70 & evening 75.77) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in diet TD₁ than diets TD₂, TD₃ and TD₄. Sheep on diet TD₄ were significantly (p<0.05) increased in daily feed intake (264.32g/day), final body weight (13.52kg), total with daily weight gain  6.39kg and 71.00g), digestibility of dry matter(71.02%), crude protein (72.04%), crude fiber  (70.41%), ash (67.14%), nitrogen free extract(70.76%), neutral and acid detergent fiber (68.16 and 60.37%), nitrogen intake (14.06g/day), nitrogen balance (9.82g/day), nitrogen retention % intake (69.84%), packed cell volume (28.07%), haemoglobin (10.47g/dl), red blood cell (9.63 x10⁶/ml), mean corpuscular value (34.37fl), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (10.46pg), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (32.75%), white blood cell (11.02 x10⁶/ml) lymphocytes (62.18%), neutrophils (32.87%), total protein (8.01g/dl), albumin (4.16g/dl), glucose (70.02 mg/dl), Benezra heat tolerance co-efficient (morning 1.86, midday 1.86, & evening 1.83), Iberia heat tolerance co-efficient (morning 135.10, midday 121.20  & evening 140.80), Rhoad heat tolerance index (morning 128.64 & evening 134.53), Singh physiological response index (morning 0.93, midday 0.94 & evening 0.92) and Davis heat tolerance coefficient (morning 0.90, midday 0.90, & evening 0.90) than those on other diets. Meanwhile, no significant differences (p>0.05) were found in initial body weight, nitrogen retained in gram per day, eosinophils, monocytes, basophils, globulin, triglycerides, dry bulb temperature, dew point temperature, black globe temperature, sweating rate, and midday Rhoad heat tolerance co-efficient index. It can be concluded that diets TD₃ and TD₄ that contained 1.00% and 1.50% lemon-seed powder improved performance, boost immunity and heat tolerance co-efficient with reduced heat stress in sheep.

---

Keywords :

lemon seed powder, Performance, sheep, thermo-physiological responses

---

References :

1. Al-Suwaiegh, B. S. (2023). Effect of dietary supplementation of ginger and garlic mixture on performance of ardi goats under stressful condition. India Journal of Animal Research, 57. (7): 58- 66.
2. Al- Haidary, A.A. Samara, E. M. Okab, A. B. and Abodiun, K. A. (2013). Thermo-physiological responses and heat tolerance of Saudi Camel breeds. International Journal of Chemical Environmental and Biochemical Science, 1: 173 – 176
3. AI-Haidary, A.A., Aljumaah, R.S., Alshaikh, M.A., Abiodun, K.A., Samara, E.M., Okab, A.B. and Alfuraiji, M.M. (2012) Thermoregulatory and Physiological Responses of Najidi Sheep Exposed to Environmental heat Load Prevailing in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan Veterinary Journal, 32, 515-519.
4. Akinlade, J.A., Aderinola, O.A. and Ojebiyi O.O (2010). Effect of season on Physiological parameters and heat tolerance coefficient of west African dwarf sheep and goats in the derived savannah zone of Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of annual Production, 37(1): 54-61.
5. Amir A, Atabany A, Syawal S, Zulkharnaim, Tambunan R D, Zubir and Mubarak A S (2025). Assessment of milk yield, physiological responses, and heat tolerance of lactating dairy cows in different agroclimatic in Bogor of West Java, Indonesia. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 37, Article #3. Retrieved July 16, 2026, from http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd37/1/3703azha.html
6. AOAC (2005). International Official Methods of Analysis. Washington D C. Association of official analytical chemist, 18^th Edition  (Khelrick, editor) Arlington pp 1230.
7. Aregawi, T., Animut, G., Kebede, K and Kassa, H. (2014). Effect of lime and/or urea treatment of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) straw on feed intake, digestibility and body weight gain of sheep. Livestock Research for Rural Development. Volume 26, Article #146. Retrieved June 6, 2025, from http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd26/8/areg26146.htm
8. Ayola A.A. Adeniran, M.O. and Durosaro S.O. (2019). Physiological response and heat toleranr coefficient of west African dwarf sheep and goats in the humid zone of Nigeria. Nigerian journal of Annual Production, 46(4):1-9.
9. Benezra, M. V. (1954). A new index for measures the adaptability of cattle to tropical condition. Production Journal of Animal Science, 13 : 10 – 15
10. Chen, G J., Song, D. S., Wang, B.X. Zhang, Z. F., Peng Z. L. Gou, C.H Zhong, J. C. and Wang, V. (2015). Effects of forage concentration ratio on growth performance, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites in housing feeding Yaks. Asian Australasian Journal of Animal Science, 28 (12): 1736–1741
11. Davis, W.P (1948). The heat tolerance of beef cattle in Louisiana. Louisana agricultural experiment startion Bullentin, No 430. Louisiana state university, Bolton Rougre, LA USA.
12. El-Zaiat, H.M., Morsy, A.S, El-Waziry, A.M. Sallam, S.M.A, El-Elaimy, E.I and El-Zamzamy, W.A. (2021). Effects of neem(Azadirachta indica) leaf powder supplementation on rumen fermentation, feed intake, apparent digestioility and performance in Omani sheep. Animals, 11 (10): 2923 dio.org
13. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO, 2020). The state of food and agriculture. The FAO statistical database (FAOSTAT).  Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Rme. Italy.
14. Gaughan, J. B. Mader, T. L.Holt, S.M and Lisle, A. (2008). A new heat load index for feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 86, 226 – 234 https/doi.org/102527jas,2007-0305
15. Godyi, D. Herbut, P.and Angreeka, S.(2019). Measurements of peripheral and deep body temperature in cattle – a review. Journal Thermo-physiological Biology, 79, 42 – 49 https//doi.org/10/1016/j.therbio.2018.11011
16. Iberia, J.C. (1982). Livestock Production and management in the tropics, 2^nd edition vibal publishing House, Quenzon city, Philippines.pp.112-115.
17. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM Corp.,2019) International Business Machines Corporation for SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Statistics for Windows. Version 26.0.  Amonk. NY. IBM Corp.
18. Ikhimioya, I., Okoruwa, M.I and Ikheloa, E.E. (2026). Ditery supplementation with spring onion on growth, nutrient utilization, economic analysis and in-vitro methane emission in West African dwarf goats. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 09 (06); 3276-3286. DOI: 10.47919/ijcsrr/V9-i6-33.
19. Islam, M. A., Lomax, S. Doughty, A. Islam, M. R., Jay, O. Thomson, P and Clark, C. (2021). Automated monitoring of cattle heat stress and its mitigation. Frontiers Animal Science, 2, 737213, 1-20, https//doi.org/10.3389/famim.2021.737213.
20. Jain, N. C. (1993). Essentials of veterinary haematology, lean and febeiger, Pennsylvania, USA, pp. 7.
21. Khan. M. J., Khan, S. , Mian, A,A. and Sultan, A. (2012). Nutritional evaluation of citrus waste for livestock feeding. Pakistan  Journal of Nutrition, 11(9) ; 847- 851
22. McDonald, P. R.A., Edward, J.F.D. Greenhaigh and G.A. Morgan (2002). Animal Nutrition 6^th. Ed. Pearson Eductional Limited Edinburgh. Great Britain.Pp 544.
23. Marai, I.F.M., El-Darawany, A.A., Abou-Frandoud, E.I. and Abdel-Hafez, M.A.M. (2009) Reproductive and Physiological Traits of Egyptian Suffolk Rams as affected by Selenium Dietary Supplementation during the sub-tropical Environment of Egypt. Archive Tierzuchi, 52, 402-409.
24. Marai, I.F.M., El-Darawany, A.A., Fadiel, A. and Abdel-Hafez, M.A.A.M. (2007) Pysiological Traits as affected by Heat stress in sheep: A Review. Small Ruminant Research, 71,1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10/1016/j.smallrumres.2006.10.003.
25. Okoruwa M.I. (2015). Effect of coat characteristics on physiological traits and heat tolerance of West African sheep in southern Nigeria. Open Journal of Animal Science. 5: 351-357. http;//www.scirp.org/journal/ojas; http//dx.dio.org/10.4236/ojas.2015.54039.
26. Okoruwa, M.I. and Eguabor, C.O. (2025). Effect of dietary inclusion of onion peel powder on performance and blood profile of sheep fed guinea grass and cowpea husk based diet. Journal of Wastes and Biomass Management, 7(1): 6-12. (http://doi.org/10.26480/jwbm.o1.2025.06.12)
27. Okoruwa, M.I. and Akazue R.C. (2025). Effect of dietary inclusion of pawpaw seed powder on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and growth of sheep. India Journal of Small Ruminants 31(2): 188-195. DOI:10.5958/0973-9718.2025.00045.6.
28. Oyewole, A. O., Omozusi, O. I. and Ademola, J. A. (2018). Assessment of climate change impacts on agriculture in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 18 (3) : 649 – 663.
29. Pinto, S. Hoffinann, G. Ammon, C and Amon, T. (2020). Critical Temperature Humidity Index (THI) thresholds based on the physiological parameters of lactacting dairy cows. Journal of Thermo-physiological Biology, 88, 102523. https//doi.org/10.1016j.jtherbio.2020.102523.
30. Rahman, M. M., Abdullah, R.B. Wan Khadijah, W.E Nakagawa, T. and Akashi, R. (2022). Efficacy of supplementing lemongrass powder on growth, metabolism, immune and endo-parasitic status of lambs in the tropics.  Animals, 12 (20): 2741. doi.org
31. Rahman, S. Sil, G and Konor, A. (2007). Heat tolerance coefficient and thermopysiological parameters in indigenous and crossbred cattle. Indian Journal of Animal Science, 77(8):707-709
32. Rhoad A.O. (1944). Studies on the Physiology of tropical cattle with special reference to rectal temperature, pulse and respiration rate and the evaporation of moisture. Journal of Hereditry,35(6):149-155 doi.org(Bacaric et al.,1986 and Silva,2006)
33. Satari, M. (2013). Chemical composition and biological activities of lemon (Citrus lemon) seeds. International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 2(5) ; 35 – 40
34. Sharoba, A. M., El-mansy, H .I. and Bahiol, H. E. M. (2013). Chemical composition and functional properties of citrus seeds and peels. Animals of Agricultural Sciences, 58(2) ; 177 – 187.
35. Silanikove, N. (2000). Effects of heat stress on the wet force of extensively managed domestic ruminants livestock production science, 67(1-2):1-8 Doi:10:/016/50301-6226(00)00162-00167.
36. Singh, M. More, T. and Rai, A.K. (1980). Heat tolerance of different genetic groups of sheep exposed to elevated temperature conditions. Journal of agricultural science 94(1): 63-70.
37. Steel, R.G.D. and Torrie, J.H. (1990). Principle and procedure of statistics. A Biometrical Approach 3^rd Edition. MacGraw Hill Book Co. New York.