The homeothermy during
moderate heat stress was achieved by intense tachypnea and
abnormally low sweating rates, growing significantly only when
marked tendency for hyperthermia occurred. Sweating rate did
not reveal any evidence of stabilization. The Mertolenga evolved as
a breed in semi-arid conditions, with intermittent water supply
and high intensity of solar radiation, and this may have contributed
to the high functional versatility of thermoregulatory
pathways.