BACKGROUND: Transport stress poses a major challenge to the livestock industry. Studies have shown that transportation stress can cause depression, elevated body temperature and dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota in meat goats, and in severe cases, even lead to death of the animals, which in turn affects the economic efficiency of the farming industry. However, the changes in blood biochemical indicators and flora of Tibetan sheep throughout the receiving period after long-distance transport remain unclear.
METHODS: In this study, six 7-month-old Tibetan sheep with similar body weights were selected for a 30-d transport trial, and blood and faecal samples were collected for blood biochemical indices and 16 S microbiome sequencing before transport (BT), and on day 1 (AT 1), day 16 (AT 16), and day 30 (AT 30) after the end of the transport, respectively.
RESULT: And a number of blood biochemical indices (creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cortisol (COR), and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)) were significantly elevated (P < 0.05). Combined analysis of physiological and biochemical indices with 16 S rDNA sequencing showed that Turicibacter, Romboutsia and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 were positively correlated with LDH, ALP, CK, AST, and ACTH, while Prevotellaceae_UCG_004 was negatively correlated. Furthermore, the observed recovery trends in vital signs after AT 16 suggest that Tibetan sheep may be able to adapt to the new environment within one month post-transport. The present study illustrated the effects of transport without measures on the vital signs, serum biochemical indicators and faecal microorganisms of Tibetan sheep throughout the receiving period, which is of great significance in guiding the transport of Tibetan sheep and solving the damage caused by transport stress on the economic benefits of the farming industry.
