Comparative hematological analysis of Morada Nova and Santa Inês ewes in all reproductive stages

Bezerra, Leílson R.; Oliveira, Wagner D.C.; Silva, Tairon P.D.; Torreão, Jacira N.C.; Marques, Carlo A.T.; Araújo, Marcos J.; Oliveira, Ronaldo L.

doi:10.1590/S0100-736X2017000400017

ABSTRACT:

Hematologic analysis provides reliable information on the health status of animals. It is an important variable in the assessment of adaptive and productive capacity of breeds under unfavorable environmental conditions. It is an assessment that combined with other genetic and environmental factors and management can become useful for the future sustainability of mainstream agriculture in a hot environment. Adaptive capacity is affected by some factors such as breed, pregnancy and lactation. Therefore, hematological profile is an important indicator of animal health and production. The objective of this study was to perform the comparative hematological analysis of Santa Inês and Morada Nova breeds (native ewes from Brazil) in all different reproductive stages. Twenty Santa Ines and 20 Morada Nova sheep distributed in a completely randomized design in a split-plot arrangement over time were used. To obtain blood counts, blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture every 14 days, always in the morning, before the animals were released into the pasture. The Morada Nova breed had higher hemoglobin and total leukocyte count than Santa Inês breed. Regarding the influence of pregnancy and puerperium on the eritrogram, there was an increment in red blood cell, hemoglobin and packed cell volume of both breeds in middle pregnancy. However, had a reduction in late pregnancy. There were a reestablishment of the blood cell counts during the puerperium period. It was verified an increase on neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio indicated that ewes in the late pregnancy, postpartum and puerperium were under stress conditions compared to others reproductive stages. The total plasma proteins also increased during this period to compensate for the high nutritional requirements of the fetus, and these levels remained high until the end of the puerperal phase, when the lambs were weaned. The pregnancy and puerperium influenced all erythrocyte indices and changed the total leukocyte count.

INDEX TERMS:
Hematological analysis; Morada Nova ewes; Santa Inês ewes; reproductive stages; hemoglobin; indigenous sheep; leukocyte count; parturition.

[1] *Corresponding author: tairon.mvet@gmail.com

Ingredient	Chemical composition (% DM)
Ingredient	DM	CP	EE	TDN	Ca	P
Corn meal	87.19	9.98	5.19	67.50	0.05	0.49
Soybean meal	88.48	48.76	1.75	80.73	0.33	0.57
Mineral mixture	97.91	-	-	-	18.00	13.00
Supplement concentrate	88.04	19.17	4.06	67.43	1.01	1.13

Group	N	Constitution of the experimental groups
I	40	Not pregnant: non-pregnant adult females.
II	40	Initial pregnancy: pregnant females with gestational periods between 30 and 60 days.
III	40	Middle pregnancy: pregnant females with gestational periods between 60 and 120 days.
IV	40	Late pregnancy: pregnant females with over 120 days of gestation.
V	40	Postpartum: females up to 30 days postpartum.
VI	40	Puerperium: females during puerperium, 30-60 days postpartum.
VII	40	Weaning: females with weaned lambs, over 60 days postpartum.

Variables	Erythrogram
Variables	Breed	Stages reproductive	Breed × Stages reproductive
Erythrocyte (x10⁶/μL)	0.4718^ns	<.0001**	0.8175^ns
Hemoglobin (g dL-1)	<.0001**	<.0001**	0.0007**
Packed cell volume (%)	<.0001**	0.0356*	0.0008**
MCV (μm³)	0.2080^ns	<.0001**	0.2601^ns
MCHC (%)	<.0001**	<.0001**	0.3599^ns
TPP (g dL-1)	0.2609^ns	<.0001**	0.2653^ns
Leukogram
Leukocytes (cells μl^-1)	0.0024**	0.0243*	0.0006**
Neutrophils (cells μl^-1)	0.4220^ns	<.0001**	<.0001**
Eosinophils (cells μl^-1)	0.5103^ns	0.0027^ns	0.4517^ns
Monocytes (cells μl^-1)	0.4358^ns	0.1412^ns	0.1091^ns
Lymphocytes (cells μl^-1)	0.0503^ns	0.0481*	0.0010**
Basophils (cells μl^-1)	0.6655^ns	0.5950^ns	0.4000^ns
Neutrophils/ Lymphocytes	0.3250^ns	<.0301*	<.3101^ns

Animal Category	Erythrogram
Animal Category	Erythrocyte (x10⁶/μL)	Hemoglobin (g dL^-1)	Packed cell volume (%)	MCV (μm³)	MCHC (%)	TPP (g dL^-1)
Not pregnant	7.98^b	9.28^b	25.65^b	32.14^a	31.00^c	5.88^c
Initial pregnancy	10.12^ba	10.46^a	30.18^a	29.82^ab	41.83^a	6.65^b
Middle pregnancy	11.55^a	9.76^b	30.06^a	26.03^c	43.17^a	6.68^b
Late pregnancy	10.67^a	10.24^a	30.18^a	28.28^bc	43.18^a	7.76^a
Postpartum	10.45^a	9.75^b	30.09^a	28.79^bc	43.00^a	6.71^b
Puerperium	11.01^a	9.66^b	30.39^a	27.60^bc	43.01^a	6.70^b
Weaning	10.97^a	9.75^b	29.88^a	27.24^bc	35.04^b	6.71^b
Reference1	8-18	8-12	22-38	28-40	30-36	4-8
	Leukogram
	Leukocytes (cells μl^-1)	Neutrophils (cells μl^-1)	Eosinophils (cells μl^-1)	Monocytes (cells μl^-1)	Lymphocytes (cells μl^-1)	Basophils (cells μ^l-1)	Neutrophils: Lymphocytes
Not pregnant	8354^a	4875^a	403	228	2830^bc	18	1.7^bc
Initial pregnancy	8724^a	4798^a	399	246	3271^b	10	1.5^bc
Middle pregnancy	8653^a	4844^a	419	265	3114^b	11	1.6^bc
Late pregnancy	6840^b	4976^a	473	249	1602^d	13	3.1^a
Postpartum	7647^ba	4813^a	488	219	2115^c	12	2.3^b
Puerperium	7787^ba	3976^b	408	206	3187^b	10	1.2^c
Weaning	8499^a	4002^b	444	254	3789^a	10	1.1^c
Reference**	4000-12000	700-6000	0-1000	0-750	2000-9000	0-300

Animal Category	Erythrogram
Animal Category	Erythrocyte (x10⁶/μL)	Hemoglobin (g dL^-1)	Packed cell volume (%)	MCV (μm³)	MCHC (%)	TPP (g dL^-1)
Not pregnant	10.33	9.74^c	24.17^b	23.40^c	31.06^c	6.51^b
Initial pregnancy	10.39	11.19^a	28.86^a	27.78^b	34.48^b	6.58^b
Middle pregnancy	11.87	10.36^b	29.00^a	24.43^c	34.28^b	6.58^b
Late pregnancy	11.79	10.86^ab	29.89^a	25.35^c	34.77^b	7.65^a
Postpartum	10.54	10.00^b	29.67^a	28.15^b	35.06^b	6.66^b
Puerperium	9.76	9.99^b	29.55^a	30.28^a	34.86^b	6.68^b
Weaning	9.59	9.87^b	29.46^a	30.72^a	38.42^a	6.58^b
Reference1	8-18	8-12	22-38	28-40	30-3⁶	4-8
	Leukogram
	Leukocytes (cells μl-1)	Neutrophils (cells μl-1)	Eosinophils (cells μl-1)	Monocytes (cells μl-1)	Lymphocytes (cells μl-1)	Basophils (cells μl-1)	Neutrophils: Lymphocytes
Not pregnant	9673^a	3874^b	487	189	5121^a	2	0.8^b
Initial pregnancy	8836a	3746^b	433	201	4450^a	6	0.8^b
Middle pregnancy	9053^a	3898^b	416	265	4472^a	2	0.9^b
Late pregnancy	7354^b	3978^b	388	289	2695^b	4	1.5^ab
Postpartum	8056^ba	4851^a	391	205	2604^b	5	1.9^a
Puerperium	8952^a	3777^b	435	208	4526^a	6	0.8^b
Weaning	8953a	3812^b	485	248	4403^a	5	0.9^b
Reference**	4000-12000	700-6000	0-1000	0-750	2000-9000	0-300

Brasil

Brasil

Comparative hematological analysis of Morada Nova and Santa Inês ewes in all reproductive stages

Análise hematológica comparativa de ovelhas Morada Nova e Santa Inês em todos os estágios reprodutivos

ABSTRACT: