The hematologic profile of cattle with reproductive diseases

Abstract

Investigations were conducted on the Bălțată Neagră Românească (BNR) breed dairy cows from the Dancu Research and Development Station for Cattle Breeding, Iaşi County. We have carried out hematologic profile investigations (red and white blood cells) in cattle having reproductive troubles and clinically healthy cattle, divided into groups of 10 animals: four experimental groups – cows with puerperal genital infections (E1), cows with chronic genital infections (E2), cows with postpartum anestrus (E3) and cows with repeated inseminations (E4), as well as three control groups, made of cows at different stages of lactation: early, 0-2 months (M1), advanced, 4-6 months (M2) and late, 6-7 months (M3). Hematologic analyzes have shown variations according to the type of reproductive troubles and to the stage of lactation: in cows having puerperal genital infections (E1 Group), compared to the control group (M1), lower values of red blood cells (5.74±0,2 x106/μl), hematocrit (Ht), (28.40±0.47%) and haemoglobin (Hb) (9.20±0.30 g/dl) were found and higher values of the total number of leucocytes (9.0±0.50 x103, compared to 7.7±0.30 x103, p<0.05), 7.7±0.30 x103, p<0.05), represented by neutrophils (56.0±0.60 %, compared to 34.2 ±0.6%, p<0.05). The cows with chronic genital infections (E2 Group) in comparison to the M2 Group had lower values of red blood cells, hematocrit and haemoglobin and higher values of the total number of leucocytes (8.2 ±2.12 x103/μl, vs. 7.26 ±1,04 x103/μl), with a high neutrophil number (39.5±0.67 %, vs. 35.66 ± 1.66%). In cows having postpartum anestrus (E3 Group), lower values of erythrocytes and haemoglobin and slightly higher values of leukocytes with a great proportion of neutrophils. In cows with repeated inseminations (E4 Group), there were diminutions in the erythrocyte number and increased number of neutrophils. Once with the lactation curve from early stage (M1 Group) to advanced stage (M2) healthy cows have recorded variations of erythrocyte indices, determined by the increasing level of the milk production, marked by the diminution of the number of erythrocytes and hematocrit and the moderate increase of haemoglobin.