MODULATORY EFFECT OF ASCORBIC ACID ON HEART RATE RESPONSES OF DONKEYS TO PACKING DURING THE HARMATTAN SEASON

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the heart rate responses of packed donkeys adminstered with ascorbic acid during the harmattan season. Six donkeys administered orally with ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg), dissolved in distilled water, and subjected to packing served as experimental animals; while six others, administered with distilled water only, served as controls. The heart rate (HR) of each donkey was recorded at 6:00 h pre-packing, and 30 min, 2 h and 4 h post-packing. The HR values recorded 30 min post-packing in control donkeys (75.88 ± 4.49 beats/min) were higher (P < 0.05) than the value of 59.25 ± 3.97 beats/min obtained in experimental donkeys. The HR values obtained 2 h post-packing in both control (64.21 ± 1.34 beats/min) and experimental donkeys (58.00 ± 1.73 beats/min) were not significantly (P > 0.05) different from that recorded 30 min post- packing. In conclusion, administration of ascorbic acid pre-packing alleviated the adverse effects of work stress in donkeys during the harmattan season.