Abstract
Reference values for the erythrocytic indices are vital for the diagnosis of anaemia and polycythemia and also for the assessment of efficacy of therapy instituted to correct these abnormalities. This study determined the reference values for the packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (HbC), red blood cell (RBC) counts, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of Anak 2000 broilers (A2B) at 14-day intervals for 84 days and Lohmann brown pullets (LBP) at 21-day intervals for 147 days. A total of 120 chickens were used for the study (60 A2B and 60 LBP), and all haematological determinations followed standard procedures. Results of the determinations on the A2B showed that PCV and HbC did not significantly vary (p > 0.05) with age and had a low correlation with age (r = −0.22 and r = 0.15, respectively), but RBC counts increased with and positively correlated with age (r = 0.78), while MCV and MCH decreased with and were strongly inversely correlated with age (r = −0.80 and r = −0.84, respectively), and MCHC did not follow a definite pattern. For the LBP, there were no significant variations (p > 0.05) associated with age in the PCV, RBC counts, MCV, MCH and MCHC up to 105 days of age; the significant variations (p < 0.05) obtained after day 105 were associated with pre-lay and egg-laying. The HbC of the LBP did not significantly vary (p > 0.05) all through the study. When compared with findings in similar studies as reported by other investigators, some of the values obtained in this study and the patterns of change in relation to age were in agreement while some others contrasted, probably because of differences between the strains and the climatic/environmental conditions under which the chickens were raised.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amos TT (2006) Analysis of backyard poultry production in Ondo State, Nigeria. Int J Poult Sci 5:247–250
Archawaranon M (2005) Haematological investigations of captive Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa in Thailand. Int J Poult Sci 4:679–682
Bayyari FR, Huff WE, Rath NC et al (1997) Effects of genetic selection of turkeys for increased body weight and egg production on immune and physiological responses. Poult Sci 76:289–296
Campbell TW, Coles EH (1986) Avian clinical pathology. In: Coles EH (ed) Veterinary clinical pathology, 4th ed. WB Saunders Company, Philadelphia, pp 279–291
Carter GR (1996) Veterinarians guide to the laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases. Veterinary Medicine Publishing Company, Kansas, pp 1–8
Challenger WO, Williams TD, Christian JK et al (2001) Follicular development and plasma yolk precursor dynamics through the laying cycle in the European startling (Sturnus valgaris). Physiol Biochem Zool 74:356–365
Clermont CP, Schrar H (1979) Effects of oestrogen on rate of 59Fe uptake by haematopoietic tissues of Japanese quail. Austr J Physiol 236:E342–E346
Datta DJ, Mahanta JD, Datta A (1994) Haematological values of local duck of Assam in relation to sex. Ind Vet J 71:1042–1048
Dein EJ (1986) Haematology. In: Harrison GJ, Harrison LR (eds) Clinical Avian medicine and surgery. WB Saunders & Company, Philadelphia
Dukes HH, Schwarte LLH (1931) The haemoglobin content of the blood of fowls. Am J Physiol 96:89–93
Folorunsho OR, Onibi OR (2005) Assessment of the nutritional quality of eviscerated waste from selected chicken types. Proc 1st Ann Conf Dev Agric Agric Tech 1:300–306
Hauptmanova K, Maly M, Literak I (2006) Changes of haematological parameters in the common pheasant through out the year. Vet Med 51(1):29–34
Ihedioha JI, Chineme CN (2004) Haematopoietic system. In: Ihedioha JI, Chineme CN (ed) Fundamentals of systemic veterinary pathology. Great AP Express Publishers, Nigeria, pp 107–160
Ihedioha JI, Okafor C, Ihedioha TE (2004) The haematological profile of the Sprague–Dawley outbred albino rat in Nsukka, Nigeria. Anim Res Int (2):125–132
Islam MS, Lucky NS, Islam MR et al (2004) Haematological parameters of Fayoumi, Assil and local chickens reared in Sylhet Region in Bangladesh. Int J Poult Sci 3:144–147
Jones PJ (1983) Haematocrit values of breeding red-billed queleas Quelea quelea (Aves: Ploceidae) in relation to body condition and thymus activity. J Zool 201:217–222
Kai O, Pranklin RM (1984) The age-dependent distribution of chicken blood cell analysed by a novel method utilizing a coulter counter. Dev Comp Immunol 8:375–386
Kekeocha CC (1994) Poultry production handbook. Macmillan Publishers Ltd, London, pp 66–189
Kemp C, Kenny M (2003) Feeding the modern broiler for more. Int Hatch Pract 17:11–13
Kern MD, DeGraw WA, King JR (1972) Effects of gonadal hormones on the blood composition of white crowned sparrows. Gen Comp Endocrinol 18:43–53
Kitchen H (1972) Heterogeneity of animal haemoglobins. Adv Vet Sci 13:247–259
Koinarski V, Angelov G, Lalev M (2001) Haematologic and blood electrolyte changes in broiler chickens experimentally invaded with Eimeria tenella. Bulg J Vet Med 4:237–242
Kokosharov T, Todorova T (1987) Changes in iron content, erythrocytes and haemoglobin in the blood of poultry with acute experimental fowl typhoid. Vet Med Nauki 24:70–74
Kral I, Suchy P (2000) Haematological studies in adolescent breeding cocks. Acta Vet Brno 69:189–194
Kundu AK, Mohanty BP, Mishra SC et al (1993) Age related changes in the haematology of guinea fowls. Ind J Poult Sci 28:200–207
Miao G (2006) Reference values of elder peoples’ haematocrit and geographical factors. Comp Clin Pathol 15:38–43
Morton MI (1994) Hematocrits in Montane Sparrows in relation to reproduction schedule. Condor 96:119–126
Ojo SO (2003) Productivity and technical efficiency of poultry egg production in Nigeria. Int J Poult Sci 2:459–464
Olsen JD (1973) Packed cell volumes of cattle exposed to controlled cold environmental temperatures. Am J Vet Res 34:482–487
Oyewale JO (1987) Haematological and plasma biochemical values of two breeds of domestic fowls in a tropical environment. Anim Technol 38:49–53
Oyewale, JO, Olofintila AA, Famakinde SA (1997) Haematological changes after haemorrhage in domestic fowl. Vet Arh 67:193–201
Panigraphy B, Rowe LD, Corrier DE (1986) Haematological values and changes in blood chemistry in chickens with infections bursal disease. Res Vet Sci 40:86–88
Reynolds SJ, Waldron S (1999) Body water dynamics at the onset of egg laying in the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata. J Avian Biol 30:1–6
Schalm OW, Jains NC, Carrol EJ (1975) Veterinary haematology, 3rd edn. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia
Smith AJ (2001) Poultry—the tropical agriculturist. Macmillan Publishers Ltd, London, pp 2–7
Talebi A, Asri-Rezaei S, Rozeh-Chai R et al (2005) Comparative studies on haematological values of broiler strains (Ross, Cobb, Arbor-acres and Arian). Int J Poult Sci 4:573–579
Ugochukwu EI (2001) Laboratory examination in veterinary clinical diagnosis. In: Ugochukwu EI (ed) Manual of veterinary clinical practice. Amazing Grace Printing and Publishing Co., Nigeria, pp 174–194
USDA (2002) Nigeria poultry and poultry products update. Global Agriculture Information Network, United States Development Agency (USDA), USA
Williams TD, Challenger WO, Christian JK et al (2004) What causes the decrease in haematocrit during egg production. Funct Ecol 18:330–336
Yahav S, Straschnow A, Plavnik I et al (1997) Blood system response of chickens to changes in environmental temperature. Poult Sci 76:627–633
Yunis R, Ben-David A, Heller D et al (2000) Immunocompetence and viability under commercial conditions of broiler groups differing in growth rate and in antibody responses to Escherichia coli vaccine. Poult Sci 79:810–816
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Okoye, J.O.A., Ihedioha, J.I. & Akam, C.J.A. Reference values for the erythrocytic profile of Anak 2000 broilers and Lohmann brown pullets in Nsukka, Eastern Nigeria. Comp Clin Pathol 16, 139–144 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-007-0674-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-007-0674-2