An investigation into haematological and serum chemistry parameters of rabbits in Trinidad.

Abstract

Blood samples were collected from a total of 70 rabbits at three locations in Trinidad. The locations were the University Field Station (n=46), the School of Veterinary Medicine (n=11), and the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (n=13). Complete blood counts and serum chemistry determinations were done for each sample. Values obtained were compared to reference ranges in the literature. The effects of gender, maturity (juveniles vs. adults), breed (New Zealand White vs. Mixed), and rabbitry on all parameters were examined. Mixed rabbits were crossbreds consisting of at least two breeds: New Zealand White, Californian, Checkered Giant. A comparison was made between values for haemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, and white blood cell count, obtained by manual and automated methods. Most values obtained were within the ranges of those in the literature with the exception of urea (5.5-7.0 mmol/L), albumin (50.56-52.98 g/L) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) (572.70-821.98 U/L). Albumin and CPK concentrations were higher and urea lower (P<0.05) for the present study. Significant differences (P<0.05) between automated and manual values were found for haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), with values for automated methods being higher for Hb and MCHC and lower for PCV. For the leukon, husbandry practices had an effect on neutrophil, eosinophil, basophil, lymphocyte, and platelet values while maturity influenced neutrophil and lymphocyte counts (P<0.05). The automated white blood cell count (WBC a ) was affected by breed (P<0.05). In the case of the erythron, husbandry practices affected automated PCV and MCHC values, and red blood cell counts (RBC) (P<0.05). Maturity influenced automated Hb and PCV values, and RBC (P<0.05). Mixed breeds had higher automated Hb, PCV and RBC values than New Zealand White rabbits (P<0.05). Male rabbits had higher values than females for manual and automated Hb, manual and automated PCV, and RBC (P<0.05). For serum chemistry, husbandry practices had an effect on potassium (K), phosphorus (P), creatinine, bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), amylase and calcium (P<0.05). Phosphorus, AST, cholesterol and glucose were higher for juveniles; while chloride was higher for adult rabbits (P<0.05). Only CPK was affected by breed, with the mixed breed having higher values than New Zealand White rabbits (P<0.05). Males had higher values for potassium, total protein, and albumin, while females had higher values for cholesterol (P<0.05). Haematology and serum chemistry reference intervals obtained in this study may therefore be considered useful baseline values for domestic rabbit populations in the Caribbean.

Hematological parameters in Polish mixed breed rabbits with addition of meat breed blood in the annual cycle

“…The results are hardly comparable to prior Polish studies (Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej and Deptuła 2010), which only involved recording the values both in males and females of Polish mixed-breed rabbits. In turn, the results of the studies obtained presently, as compared to the results obtained abroad, are different and difficult to compare with prior results (Fox and Laird 1970, Kabata et al 1991, Aleman et al 2000, Kim et al 2002, Burnett et al 2006, Chineke et al 2006, Black et al 2009, Ç etin et al 2009, Poljičak-Milas et al 2009, Abdel-Azeem et al 2010, Ö zkan et al 2012, Yaqub et al 2013). The present study does not confirm the results obtained by Kabata et al 1991 (Fox and Laird 1970, Aleman et al 2000, Kim et al 2002, Chineke et al 2006, Black et al 2009, Abdel-Azeem et al 2010, despite the assessment of the impact of sex on the behaviour of red and white blood cell image parameters in rabbits, did not show any significant changes in this respect.…”

“…Haematological parameters in mix-breed Polish rabbits with addition of blood of meat breed blood in annual cycle considering sex. Legend: ( ) -number of animals; x -mean value; SD -standard deviation, a -statistically significant difference between male and female, b -statistically significant difference between seasons (together), where b1 -statistically significant difference between spring and summer; b2 -statistically significant difference between spring and autumn; b3 -statistically significant difference between spring and winter; b4 -statistically significant difference between summer and autumn; b5 -statistically significant difference summer and winter; b6 -statistically significant difference between autumn and winter in the present study (Pintor and Grassini 1957, Fox and Laird 1970, Bortolotti et al 1989, Kabata et al 1991, Aleman et al 2000, Cazabon et al 2000, Rohilla et al 2000, Kim et al 2002, Burnett et al 2006, Chineke et al 2006, Olayemi and Nottidge 2007, Archetti et al 2008, Black et al 2009, Ç etin et al 2009, Jeklova et al 2009, Poljičak-Milas et al 2009, Abdel-Azeem et al 2010, Martinec et al 2012, Ö zkan et al 2012, Yaqub et al 2013). …”

“…On the other hand, the worldwide research have been performed on rabbits of different races (New Zealand, Agora, Czech and Sylvilagus Bachmani Riparius, cottontail, Soviet Chinchilla, grey giant, albino) and many unspecified mixed-breed rabbits, but only some of them have analysed the impact of the season of the year (Pintor and Grassini 1957, Black et al 2009, Ç etin et al 2009, Abdel-Azeem et al 2010, Yaqub et al 2013, sex (Fox and Laird 1970, Kabata et al 1991, Aleman et al 2000, Kim et al 2002, Burnett et al 2006, Chineke et al 2006, Black et al 2009, Ç etin et al 2009, Poljičak-Milas et al 2009, Abdel-Azeem et al 2010, Ö zkan et al 2012, Yaqub et al 2013, age (Bortolotti et al 1989, Chineke et al 2006, Olayemi and Nottidge 2007, Archetti et al 2008, Jeklova et al 2009, Yaqub et al 2013, and race of rabbits (Cazabon et al 2000, Rohilla et al 2000, Burnett et al 2006, Chineke et al 2006, Martinec et al 2012, Yaqub et al 2013. Also books (Feldman et al 2000, Harkness et al 2007 regarding reference values for haematological parameters in rabbits, present such values only for the New Zealand race, and do not account for environmental or physiological factors.…”

Combined administration of bacteriocin- -producing, probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium CCM7420 with Eleutherococcus senticosus and their effect in rabbits

“…The tested serum parameters were in the range of normal values defined for these parameters by previous studies (Burnett et al, 2006(Burnett et al, , Ö zkan et al, 2012 in rabbits. The influence on serum protein level by probiotic addition is often depends on the period (length) and dose of its application, the initial protein concentration and animals age and weight.…”

Natural immunity factors in Polish mixed breed rabbits

“…Furthermore, when assessing such parameters in rabbits, the impact of the season of the year and sex of the animals have not been analysed, and the importance of such factors has been Correspondence to: P. Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej, email: paulina.niedzwiedzka@gmail.com, tel. : +48 91 444 16 05 evidenced in reference to haematological factors (Pintor and Grassini 1957, Fox and Laird 1970, Nowaczyk et al 2005, Burnett et al 2006, Chineke et al 2006, Black et al 2009, Cetin et al 2009, Poljičak-Milas et al 2009, Abdel-Azeem et al 2010, Ö zkan et al 2012, Yaqub et al 2013), although Nowaczyk et al (2005) recorded, in Polish mixed-breed rabbits, the influence of the year season on the polimorphonuclear (PMN) cells adherence capacity and lysozyme (LZM) volume in serum. It must be mentioned that natural immunity factors are so important that their role has been evidenced in bacterial and viral infections in rabbits (Tew et al 1971, Tokarz-Deptułasubstances, including drugs (Prokopowicz 1972, Prokopowicz and Ziobro 1972, Szmigielski 1972, Rausch and Moore 1975, Garbuliński et al, 1985, Dębowy et al 1988, Obmińska-Domoradzka 1992, Świtała 1992, Obmińska-Domoradzka et al 1993, Wessely-Szponder et al 2012.…”