Heavy metal toxicity is increasing day by day due to increasing trends of urbanization and industrialization in developing countries like Pakistan. The present study was aimed to unveil the status of lead and its hazardous effects on Lohi sheep (an indigenous meat breed), in a selected area of District Jhang, Punjab, Pakistan. This work was carried out to determine the Pb concentration in soil, forage, water and serum to correlate its effects on biochemical and hematological parameters in sheep grazing around sewerage drain. The Lohi sheep showed higher serum lead concentration above the permissible level without manifesting any apparent signs of illness. The range of lead concentration in soil (06.91-15.80 mg/kg), forage (1.61-4.65 mg/kg) and waste water (0.01-0.15 mg/L) was safe for agriculture cultivation. The sheep (92.22%) showed serum lead concentration above the recommended safe limit of 0.35 mg/L including the sheep (18.88%) possessed serum lead level above 2.00 mg/L. The biochemical profiles, ESR and DLC showed statistically non-significant effect of lead toxicity in Lohi sheep. Whereas, RBC count, Hb and PCV showed inverse correlation with lead concentration. This is the first study which correlates the concentration of a heavy metal (Pb) in natural environment and its dissemination to animal along with the cumulative effect on liver, kidney and blood parameters. The findings of this study suggested that the water, forage and soil have served as continuous source of lead accumulation in sheep which may pose serious health hazards for the consumers.

Key words: Environment, Lead, Lohi sheep, Serum, Sewerage drain