Back to Archived Journals » Open Access Animal Physiology » Volume 2

Impact of nutrition on serum percentage in heifers

Authors Begum S, Howlader M, Islam M, Iqbal M

Published 19 August 2010 Volume 2010:2 Pages 43—46

DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/OAAP.S10461

Review by Single anonymous peer review

Peer reviewer comments 2



S Begum1, MMR Howlader1, MS Islam1, MA Iqbal2

1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Tilagar, Sylhet; 2Aftab Bahumukhi Farms Ltd, Bajitpur, Kishoregonj, Bangladesh

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of nutrition on serum percentage of blood in crossbred heifers. The animals were grouped into four, and allocated to one of three groups, ie, T0, a control group fed on 8 kg/day of green grass and 3 kg/day of concentrates, or a T1 or a T2 group fed on 40% (4.8 kg/day green grass and 1.8 kg/day concentrate per animal) and 60% (3.2 kg/day green grass and 1.2 kg/day concentrate per animal) restricted feeding. Blood samples were collected on the first day of treatment and then at three-day intervals for 63 days. Serum percentage increased significantly (P < 0.05) in Groups T1 (by 49.1%) and T2 (by 56.5%) compared with T0 (by 41.5%). Significant (P < 0.01) decreases were found in total erythrocyte count (by 5.6 and 4.2 g%), hemoglobin content (by 8.0 and 6.5 g%), and packed cell volume (by 31.4% and 22.9%) in Groups T1 and T2, respectively, compared with T0. It is suggested that the amount of feed given daily is important in maintaining the standard blood cell and serum percentage levels considered indicative of general good health in animals.

Keywords: restricted feeding, crossbred heifers, feeds, serum percentage

Creative Commons License © 2010 The Author(s). This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.