Hematocrit estimates comparing centrifugation to a point‐of‐care method in beef cattle living at high altitude

Abstract

Since the advent of automated hematology analyzers, the terms hematocrit (Hct) and packed cell volume (PCV) have been used interchangeably. Importantly, however, Hct is a value calculated by multiplying the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) by the red blood cell (RBC) count, whereas the PCV is directly measured after blood sample centrifugation. Regardless, both measurements reflect the blood volume occupied by red blood cells, expressed as a percentage. 1 From a clinical pathology perspective, Hct/PCV