Hematological and blood chemistry values of donkeys (Equus africanus osinus) in different management systems

Abstract

In order to test the hypothesis that donkeys, housed in different management systems, present minimal variations in the concentration of various blood values, an experiment was carried out to evaluate blood values in Northeastern donkeys at maintenance, of both sexes, in different management systems. Sixty-two Northeastern donkeys were used, of both sexes, adults, healthy and housed in three management systems: Limoeiro (LIM), Natal (NAT) and Mirandiba/Salgueiro (MS), three different regions in the Northeast of Brazil. Body condition score, red blood cell count, haemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCHC, leukocytes, lymphocyte, other white cells, RDW-CV, RDW-SD, platelets, MPV, total plasma protein, albumin, urea, creatinine, uric acid, glutamine, glutamate, triglycerides, total cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids, AST, ALT, AP, CK, GGT, Ca, P, Cl, Fe, Na, K and Se were evaluated. Results were submitted to ANOVA with two factors (sex and rearing site) and to Tukey test, considering p<0.05. Results showed no difference in body score (p>0.05) and, in blood biomar-kers, it was observed that RDW-CV and MPV were higher in females (p<0.05). In G-MS, red blood cells, Hb, HT and lymphocytes were lower than in G-LIM and G-NAT (p<0.05). In G-LIM, MCV and RDW-SD were lower (p<0.05). In relation to metabolic biomarkers, high concentrations of UA, TRIG, TC, NEFA, Ca and P (p<0.05) were observed in females. Higher concentrations of UA, TRIG, TC, P and Cl were detected in G-LIM (p<0.05), and G-NAT had the highest values for URE, GLU and CK (p<0.05). Results indicated that, even when kept under different management systems, donkeys may present some haematological and blood chemistry values with similar concentrations, and the few differences found may not present clinical significance for the evaluation of these animals. It was concluded that donkeys may present significant variations in different blood and metabolic parameters, when they are of different sexes and/or housed in different management systems. The red series, electrolytes and trace elements were not very sensitive to identify variations related to gender and/or rearing site groups. However, the count of lymphocytes, the combination of MVC with RDWs, CK, as well as concentrations of NEFA and triglycerides, can be used to better understand the adaptations of different management conditions or breeding systems, since they can be modified by the evaluated conditions, contributing to a better understanding of the state of health or disease of the animals of that species.