Haematology and serum biochemistry of captive wild sheep (Ovis orientalis esphahanica) in Iran

The haematology and biochemistry of wild sheep Ovis orientalis esphahanica in the Fars province of Iran were studied, and the means of various parameters were determined for gender and age groups. Blood sampling was conducted on 12 (five female, seven male) captured; clinically normal wild sheep aged between 10 months and 10 years. For total samples, the mean ± standard error of haematological parameters were: red blood cells (RBCs), 8.2±0.6 (×10¹²/l); haematocrit [packed cell volume(PCV)], 0.42±0.01 (l/l); haemoglobin (Hb), 143.6±6.5 (g/l); mean corpuscular volume (MCV), 28.2±2.41 (fl); mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), 9.45±0.89 (pg); mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), 382.8±11.2 (g/l); white blood cells (WBCs) 3.2±0.22 (×10⁹/l); neutrophils, 3.2±0.22 (×10⁹/l); lymphocytes, 3.66±0.3 (×10⁹/l); monocytes 0.22±0.02 (×10⁹/l), eosinophils, 0.53±0.15 (×10⁹/l) and platelets, 348.5±62 (×10⁹/l). No gender difference was noted in measured haematological parameters. No significant differences were found between various haematological values in wild sheep over and under 2 years. For total samples of each parameters, the following results were obtained for serum biochemistry: serum glucose 8.33±0.77 mmol/l; total protein 77±1.6 g/l; albumin 32.5±2.9 g/l; uric acid 104.68±10.9 (mol/l); triglyceride 0.172±0.04 mmol/l; blood urea nitrogen 10.34±1 mmol/l; total bilirubin 1.71±0.51(mol/l); cholesterol 0.91±0.11 mmol/l; creatinine 177.68±71.52 (mol/l); aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 163.71±12.12 U/l; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 29.15±3.2 U/l; alkaline phosphatase (AP) 64.6±10.97 U/l; lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 1533.8±127.09 U/l; calcium (Ca) 2.22±0.11 mmol/l and phosphorus (P) 2.39±0.2 mmol/l. No significant differences were observed between male and female wild sheep with respect to the measured biochemical indices. Significant difference was seen for glucose between age groups, with a higher mean level in wild sheep less than 2 years (P=0.05).The authors declare that the experiments comply with the current laws of the Iran Department of Environment