Mongolian sheep are characteristically cold-tolerant. However, their cold adaptive processes, such as the physiological feedback adjustments that occur during the cold season, remain unexplored. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the physiological adaptations of Mongolian sheep in cold plateau environments. A comparative analysis of the serum biochemical parameters, immune response, antioxidant capacity, and glucose and lipid metabolism of grazing Mongolian sheep in the cold and warm seasons was conducted. The results showed that in the cold season, the glucose and lipid metabolism and thermogenesis of the grazing Mongolian sheep were notably enhanced. Moreover, the immune responses were stimulated by increased levels of cytokines, such as IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6, during the cold season. However, the antioxidant defense system was damaged; this damage was mainly characterized by decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes and an increased level of MDA during the cold season. Overall, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, thermogenesis, and immune responses were stimulated to meet the requirements of organismal metabolic regulation to enable grazing Mongolian sheep to physiologically adapt to cold climatic conditions.
Keywords: Mongolian sheep (Ovis aries); antioxidant capacity; cold season; immune response; lipid metabolism; physiological adaptation.