MVSc

The draught performance of elephants were assessed on the basis of the degree of variation from the normal physiological haematological parameters during different hours of operation with different draft. The ability of the elephants to carry out work with different draft were observed on the of basis of fatigue score card and distress signs exhibited by the animal during different hour of operation with different draft.
Six elephants were utilized for the study, the elephants were put to work for a period of 3 hour of continuous work from 7 AM to 10 AM, followed by 1 hour rest and 1 hour work after rest with different draft.
Physiological responses like respiratory rate, pulse rate, rectal temperature and haematological parameters like haemoglobin per cent, packed cell volume, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, serum glucose, serum protein, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, serum creatinine, were estimated before before work, immediately after 1 hour, 2 hour, 3 hour followed by one hour rest and 1 hour work after rest. Other parameters like average speed of walking, draft and horsepower developed by elephants were also estimated.
As a result of work the physiological responses increased significantly. The physiological responses showed maximum increase at 3 hour of work at 30 per cent draft indicative of distress. There were also other physical signs of distress like frequent spraying of saliva, refusal to work and dragging of feet. The physiological responses decreased but did not reach the pre – exercise values after one hour of rest.
The haemoglobin percent of blood, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count decreased significantly after work. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate shows significant increase after work. The other parameters like average speed, decreased significantly as the duration work progressed. No significant difference were observed in mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin. Serum glucose content decreased significantly after work serum creatinine significantly increased after work.
Overall, the results indicate that the elephants at 10 per cent draft can work for 3 hour continuously without showing any signs at distress, obtaining a comfortable fatigue score below 10. At 20 per cent draft animal starts showing the sign of distress at 3 hour of work with a fatigue score reaching upto 16.63. At 30 per cent draft the elephants starts exhibiting the signs of distress signs at the end of 2 hour of work itself and at 3 hour work the animal is highly fatigued with the fatigue score reaching 20.65. The elephants reaching fatigue score of above 15 were found fatigued.