BLOOD PROFILE OF RED SOKOTO BUCKS PRESENTED FOR SLAUGHTER DURING THE RAINY SEASON AT JOS ABATTOIR, PLATEAU STATE

Abstract

Haematological and serum biochemical parameters of 24 adult Red Sokoto bucks within the age range of 7 to 12 months presented for slaughter at Jos abattoir during the rainy season were studied. The haematological parameters studied were: Packed Cell Volume (PCV), with 19.50 ± 1.12g/l indicating normal within the reference range of 22 to 38g/l, White Blood Cell count (WBC) with 5.314 ± 0.430g/l indicating normal within the reference range of 4.0 to 13.0g/l, Haemoglobin (Hb) value was
6.600 ± 0.363g/l above the normal reference range of 8.0 to 12.0g/l, Red Blood Cell count (RBC) was 3.929 ± 0.183g/l above the normal reference range of 8.0 to 18.0g/l, while Neutrophil was 40.14 ± 2.45g/l and within the normal range of 30 to 48g/l; Lymphocytes was 59.64 ± 2.43g/l indicating normal within the reference range of 50 to 70g/l. For serum parameters, Total Protein was 66.93 ± 23.66 µ/l, far above the reference range of 6.2 to 8.0µ/l, Albumin was 31.18 ± 6.80µ/l also above the
reference range of 3.5 to 5.0µ/l, Aspartate Transaminase (AST) was 14.86 ± 1.77µ/l, above the reference range of 12µ/l, while Alanine Transaminase (ALT) was 10.11 ± 1.34µ/l below the reference range of 12µ/l. Some values obtained in this study are comparable with values obtained in other parts of the country while others did not follow any particular trend. It is recommended that similar studies be carried out in households and farms in the study area, as well as in the dry season to ascertain if there could be marked variations attributable to seasonal factors.