Exploratory Study on the Relationship Between Age, Reproductive Stage, Body Condition Score, and Liver Biochemical Profiles in Rembi Breed Ewes

Background: The Rembi sheep breed is renowned for its exceptional meat quality and significant economic profit. Nevertheless, there is a gap in research on the hepatic parameters of this breed in Algeria despite the considerable value of the liver in the Algerian population’s diet.   Objectives: The research aimed to determine the impact of physiological factors (age, physiological stage, and body condition score) on biochemical sheep liver parameters. Methods: Sixty clinically healthy female Rembi breed sheep, aged between ۳ months and ۷ years, raised at the Technical Institute of Livestock (ITELV) Ksar Chellala Farm in Tiaret Province, Algeria, were selected for biochemical analysis and assessing aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), albumin (ALB), and total protein (TP).Results: The concentrations of AST, ALP, and GGT increased significantly (P≤۰.۰۰۱) in young sheep, while ALT and TP levels decreased (P≤۰.۰۵). However, a high level of GGT (P<۰.۰۰۱) was also observed in lactating ewes, and during pregnancy, females have a low level of ALP (P<۰.۰۰۱). Furthermore, the body condition score does not affect any of the measurements.Conclusion: Considering the animal’s age and physiological stage is critical before interpreting the results.