Abstract: Some physiological and biochemical responses of Kauhu crossbred sheep under high temperature conditions were measured. The body temperature, heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) of sheep increased with ambient temperature (AT). RRand HRmaximized at 29℃. Below 35℃, the skin temperature was higher than that of wool, and sheep might lose heat through evaporative and nonevaporative ways. The skin temperature was equal to wool temperature at 35℃, its heat being lost only via evaporation. Potassium, sodium, chlorine and cholesterol concentrations in serum under high temperature conditions decreased 19.96, 17.43, 1.22 and 35.51% respectively (p<0.05 or p<0.01), while triiodothyronine and thyroxine increased significantly (p<0.01) and glucose content increased also.

Key words: Sheep, Heat stress, Heat tolerance, Subtropics, Ecological factor, chelate resin, preconcentration, platinum group element, speciation, trace, seawater.