# The Role of Prebiotic and Herbal Supplementation in Enhancing Welfare and Resilience of Kenguri Sheep Subjected to Transportation Stress

## TL;DR

This study shows that prebiotic and herbal supplements can reduce stress in Kenguri sheep during transportation, improving their welfare in hot conditions.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that prebiotic and herbal supplements mitigate transportation stress in Kenguri sheep through physiological and hematological improvements.

## Key findings

- Prebiotic and herbal supplementation significantly reduced respiration and pulse rates in transported Kenguri sheep.
- Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were lower in supplemented groups, indicating reduced hematological stress.
- Herbal supplementation increased plasma glucose levels compared to the control group.

## Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of prebiotic and herbal supplements to relieve transportation stress in Kenguri sheep. The weather variables recorded in the study indicated that the Kenguri ewes were subjected to heat stress during transportation. The low levels of stress markers such as respiration rate, pulse rate, hemoglobin, and hematocrit in both the prebiotic and herbal supplemented groups as compared to the control (non-supplemented) group clearly demonstrate the transportation-stress-mitigating potential of both prebiotic and herbal supplements. These results provide a scientific basis for incorporating such supplements into livestock management practices, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where transportation stress is exacerbated by high temperatures.

A study was conducted to assess the efficacy of prebiotic and herbal supplements to relieve transportation stress based on changes in physiological, hematological, and molecular responses in Kenguri sheep. Thirty healthy female sheep were randomly divided into three groups: a control group (CKS) with no supplementation, a prebiotic supplementation group (PKS), and an herbal supplementation group (HKS). The animals were transported 230 km over seven hours during summer conditions, with temperatures ranging from 32.5 °C to 34.9 °C. The groups that received the prebiotic (75.6 breaths/min; 64.8 beats/min) and herbal supplementation (31.0 breaths/min; 66.8 beats/min) had a significantly reduced respiration rate (RR) and pulse rate (PR) compared to those of the control group (38.7 breaths/min; 75.6 beats/min) (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively), indicating improved physiological stability. The hemoglobin (HGB) and hematocrit (HCT) levels were also significantly lower in the PKS (24.2 g/dL; 24.8%) and HKS (24.7 g/dL; 24.5%) groups than in the CKS (28.1 g/dL; 24.9%) (p < 0.05), highlighting the mitigation of hematological stress. Further, the plasma glucose level was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the HKS group (80.0 mg/dL) compared to the CKS group (63.5 mg/dL). However, rectal temperature (RT) and skin temperature (ST), red blood cells (RBCs), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and white blood cells (WBCs) showed no significant differences among the groups. These findings demonstrate that prebiotic and herbal supplementation can effectively reduce transportation-induced stress in Kenguri sheep, offering a practical strategy to improve the welfare and resilience of livestock under challenging environmental conditions.