Studies on Normal Haematological and Biochemical Parameters of Hassawi Cattle Breed in Saudi Arabia

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Hassawi cattle were used in this study. This constituted 12 adult females and 9 males. Clinical examination revealed the good health status of these animals. The animals were kept in clean and hygienic environment in a private farm. Feed available for these animals consisted of different types of grasses and shrubs such as alfa-alfa hay, Rhodes, Sptaria verticillata, Convolvolus arvensis and Phragmites australis and supplemented with dates.

Blood samples were collected from jugular vein, by vaccutainer apparatus in two test tubes, one containing EDTA and the other for serum preparation. Blood in EDTA was used for determination of packed cell volume (PCV) by Hawksley micro haernatocrit centrifuge; hemoglobin (Hb) concentration by Cyanmehaemoglobin method; red (RBQ and white (WBC) by Coulter counter (model Fri, USA) and differential WBC count by Haemo-Scan differential cell counter. Mean cell volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were obtained by calculation. Glucose was determined by the use of Boehringer kit by GOD perid method. Metabolites and enzyme activities were estimated spectrophotometric ally (RA50 chemistry analyzer, Ames, Bayer Diagnostics) using commercial kits. Minerals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (Shemaduz, Japan).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The haematological results obtained are shown in Table 1. The PCV was 35.1±1.1%, RBC was 7.2±1.1 (X10¹² l^–1), Hb was 12.0±1.4 (g dl^–1) and VVBC was 14.6±2.3 (XI0⁹ l^–1), Neutrophiles were 58±2.0% and Lymphocytes were 30±1.2%.

Table 1:	Mean and standard deviations (SD±) of haematological values for Hassawi cattle

Table 2:	Mean (±SD) serum biochemical values of Hassawi cattle

Few monocytes, cosinophiles and basophiles were observed. Comparing the present haematological results with studies in other breeds of cattle (Radostitis et al., 2000; Welchman et al., 1988 and Earley and Fallon, 1998, 1999a and b) it could be concluded that Hassawi breed showed similar picture of blood values. As to the minor deviations in WBC observed in this study, variations in climatic conditions, nutrition and health status should be considered.

The serum biochemical values of Hassawi breed obtained in this study are presented in Table 2. These includes, serum metabolites, serum minerals and serum enzymes. The means of biochemical values obtained were within the normal range recorded for other breeds of cattle (Radostitis et al., 2000; Earley and Fallon, 1999a; Dubreuil and Lapieirre, 1997 and Stary, 1980). The increase in glucose concentration could be attributed to the nutritional status of the animals and the time of sampling as these animals were fed green fodder and hay supplemented with dates. Generally most of serum values obtained were within the maximums limits of the range of biochemical values of cattle quoted by Radostitis (2000).

This may indicate the good health and nutritional status of this breed. In addition, the breed is heat tolerant, resistant to many diseases in the area and has a good reproductive performance (Mohammed, 1997). In the absence o f a systemic institutional policy to improve and conserve them, the Hassawi cattle will become extinct and a potentially valuable genetic material will be lost for ever unless further studies are performed to indicate these reproductive and productive merits.