ISSN 2167-0447
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 2 (1), pp. 087- 089, January 2012, ISSN: 2167-0447 ©2012 International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Assessment of breed, age and body condition score on hematology, blood chemistry and fecal parasitic load of indigenous bulls in Adamawa State, Nigeria
Addass P. A.1, Midau A.1*, Muktar Y. M. 2 and Mshelia Z. B.3
1Department Animal Production, Adamawa State University, P.M.B 25 Mubi Adamawa State, Nigeria.
2Department of Animal Science and Range Management, Federal University of Technology Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria.
3Department of Biological Science, Adamawa State University, P.M.B 25 Mubi Adamawa State, Nigeria.
Received December 17, 2011; Accepted January 23, 2012
*Corresponding Author's E-mail: alexmidau@yahoo.com
Abstract
The blood chemistry of most common bull cattle breeds were randomly collected and assessed. Significant (P<0.01) breed variation on packed cell volume (PCV) was observed. Adamawa Gudali (AG) had highest (55.29±0.77%) PCV value followed by Rahaji (RJ) (46.83±0.80%) then Sokoto Gudali (SG) (46.19±0.78%) while Bunaji had the least (43.59±0.74%). Significant (P< 0.001) breed differences were also depicted on mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC). Highest (40.35±0.62×1015 FL) MCV was observed on AG followed by RJ (36.57±0.65×1015 FL) while similar values were recorded on BJ (33.95±0.6×1015×FL) and SG (34.27±0.63×1015FL). On MCHC, AG had the highest (25.940.55g/dl) while similar values were observed on BJ (29.32±0.54g/dl), SG (28.75±0.56) and RJ (27.62±0.58g/dl). Significant (P<0.001) breed difference was pronounced on fecal parasitic egg count (FPEC) indicating SG with highest (18.21±0.68) value followed by RJ (16.35±0.71) while Ag (9.57±0.67) and BJ (10.21±0.66) had similar least values. Significant (P<0.001) age group difference was observed on PCV with similar highest values observed on age groups 1.5 to 2 years (48.45±0.66%),21/2-3years(50.28±0.80%) and 3.5 to 4 years while age group ≥4years had least (45.76±0.66%) value. Significant (P<0.001) age group on FPEC with age group 2.5 to 3 years had highest (15.50±0.70) followed by age group 3.5 to 4 years (14.62±0.58) while similar least values were recorded on age groups 1.5 to 2 years (9.56±1.18) and ≥4 years (10.82±0.58). Significant (P<0.001) BCS difference was observed on PCV with highest (50.78±0.85%) value on BCS5 followed by BCS4 (49.18±0.60%) while similar values were recorded on BSC2 (43.36±1.19%) and BCS3 (45.48±0.72%). Significant (P<0.001) breed effect on FPEC was evident showing BCS2 with highest (21.83±0.05) egg count followed BCS3 (14.95±0.064) then BCS4 (11.60±0.53), BCS5 had the least (9.39±0.75).
Key words: Cattle, breed, bulls, hematology, age, fecal parasitic load.