Reference values for some haematological, haematochemical, and electrophoretic parameters in the Girgentana goat

Authors: GIUSEPPE PICCIONE, STEFANIA CASELLA, LUCIO LUTRI, IRENE VAZZANA, VINCENZO FERRANTELLI, GIOVANNI CAOLA

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine haematological, haematochemical, and electrophoretic reference values for the Girgentana goat in order to form a basis for clinical interpretation. The study included 348 female Girgentana goats aged from 1 to 6 years. The animals were divided into 3 groups: goats aged 1-2 years (group A), goats aged 3-4 years (group B), and goats aged 5-6 years (group C). Blood samples were collected from each animal every morning at the same time (0800) by means of jugular venipuncture, and red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (NEU), lymphocyte (LYM), monocyte (MONO), eosinophil (EOS), and basophil (BASO) counts, and haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume percent (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and red cell distribution width (RDW) were recorded. Additionally, the concentration of some haematochemical parameters, including alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), \gamma-glutamine-transferase (\gamma-GT), creatinine, \beta-hydroxybutyrate, urea, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), potassium, sodium, and chloride, and the electrophoretic profile (albumin, \alpha1-globulins, \alpha2-globulins, \beta–globulins, \gamma–globulins, total proteins and albumin:globulins ratio) were determined. Statistical analysis (one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA]), followed by Bonferroni’s test, showed that there were significant differences only in RBC, MCV, EOS, ALT, AST, creatinine, \gamma-GT, sodium, urea, NEFA, \gamma–globulins, and the albumin:globulins ratio (P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). The values determined in the present study contribute to the knowledge of the reference ranges for the Girgentana goat and can be used for monitoring health and disease diagnosis.

Keywords: Age, electrophoretic parameters, haematochemical parameters, haematological parameters, Girgentana goat

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