Haematological studies in adolescent breeding cocks

Abstract

The objective of the study was to point out several significant changes in haematological values of male poultry occurring during sexual maturation and development of spermiogenesis using chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus L.) as a model species. The investigations were carried out in a set of 50 clinically normal breeding cockerels of the paternal line RIR-05 and covered the age span of 10 through 35 weeks. Blood samples collected at 5-week intervals from vena basilica were tested for total erythrocyte count (Er), packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin content (Hb), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin content (MCH), mean erythrocytic volume (MCV), and total leukocyte (Le), basophil (Ba), eosinophil (Eo), neutrophil (Ne), lymphocyte (Ly), and monocyte (Mo) counts. Changes in the erythrocytic component observed during the investigation period included highly significant (P ≤ 0.01) increases in Er from 1,793 to 3,484 T · 1-1, PCV from 0.243 to 0.4351 · 1-1, and Hb from 69.94 to 136.57 g · 1-1. No significant changes were demonstrated for MCHC, MCH, and MCV in which mean values ranged from 26.17 to 31.531 · 1-1, from 36.39 to 44.20 pg, and from 125.61 to 157.86 fl, respectively. A reverse tendency was observed in the leukocytic component. Le decreased highly significantly (P < 0.01) from 20.270 to 12.788 G · 1-1. For this change, highly significant decreases in Ba from 0.138 to 0.065 G. 1-1, Eo from 0.0-104 to 0.063 G · 1-1, and mostly Ly from 11.502 to 3.784 g · 1-1 (P ≤ 0.01) and Mo from 0.104 to 0.063 G · 1-1 were responsible. Ne remained fairly constant varying within a narrow range of 7.742 to 8.626 G · 1-1. The paper provides new comprehensive information on haematological changes occurring during sexual maturation of male breeding chickens up to the onset of reproductive activity.