Effect of the Physiological Status on the Haematological Parameters of Female Camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of the physiological status (age, late pregnancy and early lactation) on the haematological parameters in female dromedary camels under a semi-intensive system. Twenty-two healthy female camels (Age: 3-16 years) were used. The animals were divided into 4 groups: control group: non-pregnant non-lactating (5 animals, age: 8-16 years), pregnant (5 animals, age: 11-16 years, number of parities: 2-3), lactating (5 animals, age: 11-16 years, number of parities: 2-3) and young females (7 animals, age: 3-5 years). Blood samples were collected once by jugular venepuncture and used for the determination of haematological parameters (total erythrocytes and leukocytes counts: TEC and TLC, haemoglobin: Hb, blood haematocrit: HCT, mean corpuscular volume: MCV, mean corpuscular haemoglobin: MCH and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration: MCHC) using Automated Haematology analyzer. The physiological status had a significant (P≤0.05) effect on TEC, [Hb], neutrophils lymphocytes and monocytes percentage while HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, TLC, eosinophils and basophils percentage were not changed significantly. The TEC decreased significantly (P≤0.05) in young female camels compared to the control, pregnant and lactating camels. Blood-[Hb] increased significantly (P<0.05) during late pregnancy and decreased (P<0.05) in young females compared to the control and early lactation. Neutrophils percentage increased significantly (P<0.05) during early lactation and decreased (P<0.05) during late pregnancy compared to the control and young females. Lymphocytes percentage increased (P˂0.05) during late pregnancy compared to early lactation, whereas monocytes percentage increased (P˂0.05) in young females compared to the control, late pregnancy and early lactation. The physiological status had a negative influence on the haematological parameters in female camels. The data could be utilized to assess the metabolic profile in growing, pregnant and lactating female camels.