Effects of sex, age, body condition score, and physiological status changes on haematological parameters of Dorper sheep

Authors: Ledimo F. Makgopa, Thobela L. Tyasi and Teedzai Chitura

Ger. J. Vet. Res 2024. vol. 4, Iss. 3 pp:61-73
Doi: https://doi.org/10.51585/gjvr.2024.3.0098

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Abstract:

Dorper is a South African sheep breed characterized by its fast growth and excellent body confirmation that is used for mutton production. Hematological profiling is useful in assessing the health, nutritional, and metabolic status of an animal and can be affected by non-genetic factors such as sex, age, season, body condition score, and physiological status of an animal. Hence, this study focused on the effect of the factors mentioned above on the hematological parameters of Dorper sheep. Sex, age, physiological status, and body condition score for 30 (11 males and 19 females) Dorper sheep were recorded, and blood samples were collected from each sheep. Red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), absolute neutrophil count (ANC), absolute monocyte count (AMC), absolute lymphocyte count (ALC), lymphocyte count (LYM), normoblast count (NB), platelet count (Plt), haematocrit (Hct), eosinophils (Eos), monocytes (Mn), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), basophil count (BASO) and absolute eosinophil count (AEC) were determined. Pearson correlation analysis showed a correlation (p<0.05) between some of the haematological parameters in Dorper sheep. Pearson correlation analysis results indicated that RBC was positively highly (p<0.01) correlated with Hct, WBC, ALC, Eos, and AEC and negatively highly correlated (p<0.01) with MCV, Mn, and NB. However, RBC had no significant (p>0.05) correlation with MCHC, RWD, NEU, ANC, AMC, BASO, ABC, and Plt in Dorper sheep. Body condition score and age had no effects (p>0.05) on the haematological parameters (p>0.05), while physiological status affected only RDW. The results further showed that sex influenced (p<0.05) Hb, RDW, LYM, and NB. The findings of this study suggest that sex and physiological status can influence some of the haematological parameters of Dorper sheep. Therefore, it is important to consider factors such as sex and physiological status of an animal when evaluating the nutritional, physiological and health status to improve the management and productivity of Dorper sheep.

Keywords:

Haematological parameters, Dorper sheep, Sex, Age, Body condition score, Physiological status

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