Etiology and haemato-biochemical alterations in cattle of Jammu suffering from anaemia

Aim: To obtain the clinical appraisal and haemato-biochemical alterations in cattle suffering from anaemia in Jammu division of J&K, India. Materials and Methods: 125 cattle were screened for anaemia on the basis of Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration. Blood samples were taken for estimation of Hb, packed cell volume (PCV), total erythrocyte count (TEC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), total protein, albumin, total bilirubin, plasma iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC). Faecal samples were screened for ova/ cyst and peripheral blood smear was examined for haemoprotozoa. The animals with Hb < 8g/ dl were categorized as anaemic. Results: Out of 125 cattle screened for anaemia, 47 (37.6%) were anaemic. Levels of Hb, PCV, TEC, MCH, MCHC and plasma iron were significantly lower in anaemic cattle than non-anaemic cattle while TIBC was significantly higher. The clinical signs in majority of the anaemic animals were depression, pale mucous membrane, dehydration and rough body coat. Faecal examination revealed parasitic infestation in 25 of those anaemic animals (Trichostrongyloids 16 and Bunostomum09). Ticks were seen in seven animals, whereas three animals were lice/ flea infested. Peripheral blood smear examination revealed Babesia bigemina infection in five animals. Conclusion: Hb, PCV, Plasma iron and TIBC were significantly altered in the present study and can be used for diagnosis of anaemia in cattle. The major causes of anaemia in this study were endoand ecto-parasitic infestations.


Introduction
So the present study was undertaken to obtain the clinical appraisal and haemato-biochemical alterations Anaemia is functionally defined as decreased in cattle suffering from anaemia.oxygen carrying capacity of blood [1,2].This condition is clinically characterized by reduction in the

haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (PCV) or total
Study area: A total of 125 female cattle (105 adult and erythrocyte count (TEC) per unit volume of blood in a 20 heifers) presented during summer months (April to normally hydrated animal [3].Anaemia in bovine is of September) of the year 2011 at (a) Referral Large great importance because of the direct and indirect Animal OPD of F.V.Sc & A.H, SKUAST-J, R.S.Pura, economic losses.Direct economic losses are due to Jammu and (b) Military dairy farm, Belicharana, Satwari, mortality and morbidity and indirect losses are in the Jammu, were screened for anaemia.The animals included form of reduced production [4][5][6].Bovine anaemia local crossbreds in the age range 1.5 to 9 years.occurs in three forms viz, haemorrhagic anaemia, haemolytic anaemia and anaemia due to reduced or The mean value of total Heim Pvt.Ltd kit, India), plasma iron and total iron plasma protein, albumin, Albumin globulin ratio (A: G binding capacity (TIBC) were estimated by use of iron ratio) and total bilirubin did not differ significantly binding capacity kit (Erba Mann Heim Pvt.Ltd kit, (p<0.05) between anaemic cattle and non-anaemic .Normal value of Hb was taken as 8-15 gm/dl [9] cattle (Table -3).The mean value of plasma iron was and animals with Hb < 8 g/dl were categorised as significantly (p<0.05)lower in anaemic cattle than anaemic.On the basis of laboratory analysis, the cattle non-anaemic cattle, while TIBC was significantly were divided into two groups i.e., anaemic and non-higher (p<0.05) in anaemic cattle than non anaemic anaemic.Blood smears from all the animals were cattle.examined for haemoprotozoan infections.Skin was Discussion examined for ectoparasites and faecal samples were The major cause of anaemia in this study was examined for ova/ cyst.endoparasitic infestation followed by ectoparasite Statistical analysis: The data was analysed by unpaired infestation and blood protozoa.It has been previously 't' test.
reported that anaemia generally occurs due to blood

Results
protozoa and endo-and ectoparaites [11,12].It was interesting to note that, although seven animals had Clinical observations: Out of 125 animals, 47 were ticks on their body but only five of them were positive anaemic and 78 were non-anaemic on the basis of for haemoprotozoa i.e., Babesia bigemina.The cause laboratory analysis.The presenting clinical signs in of anaemia in other seven cattle could not be anaemic cattle were depression (n=32), pale mucous established and may be attributed to dietary factors membranes (n=26), dehydration (n=11), sub normal [13].The clinical signs in present study were similar to temperature (n=7) and rough body coat (n=5).

Faecal examination and examination for ectoparasites:
variation in the incidence of anaemia among different Out of 47 anaemic cattle, faecal samples of 25 animals age groups could be due to reasons like nutritional and were positive for ova/ cyst.Out of these 25, 16 had managemental practices.Iron deficiency anaemia is Trichostrongylus spp.infestation and 9 had Bunostomum common in young animals due to only milk feeding and spp.infestation.Ectoparasites were present on ten small iron reserve [3].animals being ticks in seven and lice/ fleas in three The haematological findings were similar to cases.The present study was part of JS's M.V.Sc.thesis.SKG designed the experiments and approved the experimental protocol.JS and RS drafted the manuscript.SAH did statistical analysis and critically reviewed the manuscript.All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
The authors are grateful to Dr J S Soodan, Head, Teaching Veterinary Clinics, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-J) for support during this study.The authors are thankful to Director of research, SKUAST-J for providing facilities and funds for the research.********

Table - 1
The ticks identified were Boophilus spp.-anaemic cattle are presented in Table-2.Khan et al. [15].The reduction in mean MCH and The mean values of Hb, PCV, TEC, MCH and MCHC MCHC could be due to direct reduction in the level of were significantly lower (p<0.05) in anaemic cattle haemoglobin concentration which might be due to than non anaemic cattle.The values of MCV did not deficiency of iron [15, 17].The iron deficiency was differ significantly between the two groups.Peripheral confirmed by low iron levels in anaemic cattle.Contrary blood smear examination revealed B. bigemina to the present study, low albumin and total plasma infection in 5 anaemic animals. .Age wise incidence of anaemia in the screened cattle