The objective of the present study was to investigate the beneficial effects of providing shelter to sheep during summer. Twenty adult Marwari and Patanwadi female sheep were exposed for a week to three covered and one open housing system before the start of experiment for acclimatization. The experimental animals were randomly divided in to four treatment groups and housed under different covered areas, namely, T1: Asbestos sheet roofed house, T2: Agro-net, T3: under the trees shade and T4: under open. Agro net as roofing material though reduced the solar radiation but proved less effective in reducing rectal temperature of the animals as compared to asbestos sheet roof or tree as shelter. The respiration rate was not influenced either by providing shed or keeping under sun but was only affected by the period and treatment x period interaction.
Heart beat, Housing, Rectal temperature, Respiration rate, Summer
