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http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s00580-016-2375-1&domain=pdf
Web End = http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.1007/s00580-016-2375-1&domain=pdf
Web End = Comp Clin Pathol (2017) 26:233236
DOI 10.1007/s00580-016-2375-1
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Haematology and some serum biochemistry of apparently healthy Muturu and Bunaji breeds of cattle in Benue State, Nigeria
S.A. Ode1 & M. Adamu2 & D.I. Saror1
Received: 2 August 2016 /Accepted: 14 November 2016 /Published online: 24 November 2016 # Springer-Verlag London 2016
Abstract The haematological and serum biochemical values of 100 Muturu cattle and 100 Bunaji cattle were studied in two local government areas of Benue State, Nigeria. Haematocrit, red blood cell count, haemoglobin, total white blood cell count, lymphocyte and monocyte counts were significantly higher in Muturu cattle than the Bunaji cattle. However, there were no significant differences in the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, neutrophil, eosinophil, and basophil counts, albumin, urea, alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase in the two breeds of cattle. Lower values of mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and platelet counts were observed in the Muturu cattle. Similarly, total protein and globulin values were significantly lower in Bunaji than Muturu cattle while the converse is the case with aspartate aminotransferase. The haematological parameters of the two breeds were within the recognized reference intervals for cattle. This study reports for the first time the haematological and some biochemical parameters for Muturu cattle in Benue State.
Keywords Muturu . Bunaji . Haematology . Serum biochemistry
Introduction
The challenge of meeting the high meat demand in Africa as a source of animal protein requires increased production of shorter cycle animals (Opara et al. 2010) such as the Muturu cattle, West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep and goats and other emerging mini-livestock like grasscutters. The Muturu cattle are a short-horn humpless breed of cattle reared by the rural farmers, together with WAD sheep and goats, contributing largely to the income of the rural farmers and the countrys GDP (Adebambo 2001). The Muturu cattle are a trypanotolerant breed which offers the farmer comparative advantage in the tsetse fly endemic zone. This reduces the cost of treatment of infectious diseases such as trypanosomosis and babesiosis (Murray et al. 1990).
The Muturu cattle have suffered neglect in the area of research with lack of basic information such as haematology and serum biochemical parameters (Adebambo 2001). Previous effort at providing base line...