NORMAL HEMATOLOGICAL VALUES OF NATIVE IRANIAN CATTLE AS INFLUENCED BY AGE, BREED AND SEX

Variations in hematological parameters of 500 native Iranian cattle were determined at <6 months to about 6 years of age of both sexes belonging to Sarabi, Golpayegani and Sistani breeds. Age had a significant effect on the blood parameters of native Iranian cattle as with the increase in age of animals, there was an increase in hemoglobin (Hb) concentration (r=0.193), packed cell volume (PCV) value (r=0.343), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (r=0.809) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (r=0.671) whereas the number of erythrocytes (r= -0.330) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (r= -0.393) were decreased. Breed had a significant effect on the values of red blood cell (RBC) counts, Hb concentration, PCV, MCV, MCH, white blood cell (WBC) counts and the percent of band neutrophils (P<0.05). The mean of RBC counts, Hb concentration and PCV were higher in .Sistani breed as compared with other breeds. The mean of RBC counts, Hb concentration, PCV, MCHC, platelet counts, leukocyte counts, absolute number of neutrophils and lymphocytes and percentage and absolute number of monocytes were higher in males as compared with females (P<0.05). In contrast, the mean of MCV, MCH and percent of eosinophils were higher in female animals as compared to males (P<0.05).