Abstract

Eighteen Barki ewes, aged 2-3 years and weighing an average of 45.5±0.57 kg, were used to investigate the effect of supplementing their diet with certain nutritional additives on mitigating heat stress burdens, as well as their coat condition, thermoregulatory responses, and blood indicators. The experimental animals were randomly distributed into three equal groups. The first group (G1) was fed one that consisted of berseem hay (BH) plus concentrate feed mixture (CFM) without any additives. The second group (G2) was fed CFM plus a vitamin C, E, and Selenium mixture. The third group (G3) animals received CFM supplemented with Bio-Magic (BM) at 10 kg fresh matter/ton CFM. The findings show that there were significant differences in some properties of the wool, even though the weight of the greasy fleece was the same for all groups. Blood parameters and physiological reactions, highlighting the potential of dietary approaches to increase sheep's resistance to intense heat. This study highlights the importance of dietary management in enhancing animal welfare and productivity and provides valuable insights into sustainable sheep farming practices in arid regions.

Key words: Barki sheep, wool coat, avoid heat stress, hematology, physiological parameters