A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON HEMATOLOGY AND SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY IN LACTATING COWS & THEIR CALVES
INTRODUCTION
Bangladesh is agro based country. Its economy is mostly depends on agriculture (BBS 2002). Livestock plays an important role in nutrition - directly through the consumption of animal products by livestock owners and their families; and indirectly through the sale of animals and animal products as a source of income (FAO report ,1999).
The genetic composition of animals in the production system determines the response of the system to the different inputs. Often, local livestock breeds do not produce at a high level as they have been selected for survival under difficult conditions, including under-nutrition and exposure to various diseases. In contrast, highly productive breeds are more susceptible to disease, thereby increasing the need for animal health measures. These animals often require a high level of nutrition to gain the production benefits (FAO report, 1999).
Many animals receive maintenance or below maintenance levels of nutrition resulting in low levels of production. Increasing the quantity of feed by reducing the number of animals does not provide a solution as the nutritional value of the available feed is low. The addition of a small amount of higher quality feed can have a large effect on production in this situation. In the case of milk production, the use of cattle with a small body size would result in reduced maintenance requirements of the animal, thus enabling more efficient use of available feed for milk production (FAO report, 1999).
When animals are fed a low quality rations and are not protected from disease, genetic traits for survival are more important than those for production. With an increase in nutrition and health, large gains are made in productivity. Improvements in production traits only become important once certain conditions in health and nutrition are met and production levels reached. These conditions vary between species. Livestock health is a limiting factor to production (FAO report, 1999).
Physiological equilibrium is maintained mainly by the blood in the body (Geneser, 1986).but many physiological conditions may alter this equilibrium. When thorough history and physical examination fail to yield a diagnosis in difficult cases, many practitioners turn to blood samples for a complete blood count and chemistry panel, hoping these tests will identify the problem (Navarre Christine, 2007).
Normal blood work can rule out some diseases. And if there are abnormalities, they might aid in establishing a prognosis and/or developing a therapeutic plan, even if a specific diagnosis is lacking (Navarre Christine, 2007).
The importance of hematobiochemical indices in animal husbandry is well acknowledged. Metabolic disturbance usually by inappropriate feeding without manifestation of clinical symptoms are important in animal husbandry and may cause insufficiently developed breeding cattle (Radostits et al., 2003).
The changes in hematological constituents are important indicators of the physiological or pathological state of the animal (Ahmed Ijaz et al., 2003).Blood examination is also performed for screening procedure to asses general health (Gutienez et al., 1971; Jain, N.C; Peinado,V.I. et al., 1993).
The complete blood count (CBC) is an important and powerful diagnostic tool as a component of a minimum database. It can be used to monitor response to therapy, to gage the severity of an illness or as a starting point for formulating a list of differential diagnosis. Interpretation of the (CBC) can be broken down into three sections: evaluation of the erythrocyte, leukocyte and platelets. Each of these parameters can be interpret individually: however , integration of the data is important for the highest diagnostic yield (Barger et al., 2003).
It is well known that variables such as breed, stage of growth, age, reproduction status and stage of lactation have an influence on many blood parameters (Doornenbal et al., 1988).
Hematological values such as total red blood cell count (Koubkova et al., 2002) packed cell volume (El-Nouty et al., 1990), Mean corpuscular volume, Mean corpuscular hemoglobin and Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and hemoglobin concentration (Kumar et al., 2000) and white blood cell (Gutienez-De Lar et al., 1971), i.e lymphocyte and Monocyte are indicated adaptability to adverse environmental condition. However, hematological values are used for indicating stress and welfare (Anderson et al., 1999). Determination of normal values for hematological and blood biochemical values are important for the clinical interpretation of laboratory data. These indices may vary depending on factors such as sex, age, weather, stress, season and physical exercise ( Kaneco et al.,1999).
Hence, the hematological values during different physiological situations should be known for the diagnosis of various pathological and metabolic disorders, which can adversely affect the productive and reproductive performance of cows, resulting in great economic losses to dairy farmers ( Pyne and Maria, 1981; Dutta et al., 1988 ).
There is less research work in Bangladesh on the hematological and biochemical profiling of cow and its calf.
Aim of the study:
To know the hematology and biochemical values in calf.
To compare the hematology and biochemical values of cow and calf.
To know the nutritional and disease status of animal.
MATERIALS and METHODS
Study Period
This study was conducted for a period of 17 days ( 26 , August-11 september,2009) in Metro Dairy Farm, Kulgaon, Hathazary, Chittagong.
Selection of Farm
Chittagong area is potential for dairy farm because of its high demand of fluid milk, suitable weather, feeds and fodder availability, available veterinary facilities from Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. So there is good communication with university and dairy farms as for giving various technical supports to the farms and for some research work also. Metro Dairy Farm was selected for conducting the study because of its suitable location, large population, satisfactory record keeping system, proper feeding and management and also for their kind cooperation.
Study population
Study population was 30 cross bred multiparous (HF X Local, Shahiwal X Local, HF x Shahiwal X Local.) lactating cows and their 30 calves. Cows were in different age and production status. Calves were also in different age and feeding stage.
Health status of animal
All animals involved in this study were clinically healthy and for ensure this clinical history was reviewed with the farm manager with the examination of physical condition. Their physiological status of cows were non pregnant lactating cow . Calves were mostly lives on milk and some are grass also.
General Management System of METRO DAIRY FARM
Housing System-The pattern of housing is both face -in and face-out system. There is different shed for different status of animal eg. milch cow shed, heifer shed, dry cow shed, pregnant cow shed and calf shed. In every shed there is individual cow distance, common allay, gutter etc. The floor is made of concrete. Surface of the floor is even and generally no bedding material is used. There is proper drainage facility and quick disposal of animal waste. Farm workers wash the floor three times daily and bath the cows once daily. There is both natural and artificial air flow and available light in every shed.
Feeding System- There are separate mangers for each of the cattle. Both roughage and concentrates are offered to them. The farmer grows German grass besides the farm area and have own cattle feed mil. Available green fodder is supplied from own fodder land and Concentrate from own feed mil called Metro Dairy Feed. Only straw is bought from other
Concentrate mixture contains- Rice polish,Wheat bran , Broken maize,Broken rice ,Tiloil cake,Mustard oil cake, coconut oil cake,Pulse husk, Molasses, salt,Toxin binder etc.The feeding schedule-Concentrate and straw is supplied at 10am, green fodder at 12am again concentrate at 6.30pm and straw at 7.30pm.
Calf Management- The calves are weaned and usually fed by pale feeding. Colostrums feeding is practiced by nipple drinker. They supply drinking water from underground water source. They supply concentrate according to thumb rule (3 kg for maintainance+50% of the milk production).
Production Management--The farm produces about 310 lit liters in the morning and about 110 liters at afternoon. The average daily yield of the farm is about 420 liters. The farmer practice hand milking. Before milking milker's hands and teat dipping is practiced buy potassium per manganate PPM (0.1%). They also practice dry cow therapy for drying the cows.
Breeding management--Most of the milkers detect heat of their cows during milking in the morning and AI usually done within 10-14hrs by AI technician. Usually AI is done 2 times per conception for each of the cows . Sometimes natural service is practiced by the farmers. Mostly they use HF semen. Generally they keep AI sheet as a breeding record which is provided by AI technician. AI technician or Veterinarian diagnose the pregnancy by rectal palpation.
Health Therapeutics and Preventive Management--There is a least prevalence of infectious diseases in the farm. When any symptom of sickness arises the farmer calls a veterinarian. Anthelmentic treatment and vaccination is regularly