Serum biochemistry panels in African buffalo: Defining reference intervals and assessing variability across season, age and sex

Serum biochemical parameters can be utilized to evaluate the physiological status of an animal, and relate it to the animal’s health. In order to accurately interpret individual animal biochemical results, species-specific reference intervals (RI) must be established. Reference intervals for biochemical parameters differ between species, and physiological differences including reproductive status, nutritional resource availability, disease status, and age affect parameters within the same species. The objectives of this study were to (1) establish RI for biochemical parameters in managed African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), (2) assess the effects of age, sex, pregnancy, and season on serum biochemistry values, and (3) compare serum biochemistry values from a managed herd to a free-ranging buffalo herd and to values previously published for captive (zoo) buffalo. Season profoundly affected all biochemistry parameters, possibly due to changes in nutrition and disease exposure. Age also affected all biochemical parameters except gamma glutamyl transferase and magnesium, consistent with patterns seen in cattle. Sex and reproductive status had no detectable effects on the parameters that were measured. The biochemical profiles of managed buffalo were distinct from those observed in the free-ranging herd and captive buffalo. Biochemical differences between buffalo from captive, managed, and free-ranging populations may be related to nutritional restriction or lack of predation in the context of management or captivity. The reference intervals provided in this study, in addition to the seasonal and age-related patterns observed, provide a foundation for health investigations that may inform management strategies in this ecologically and economically important species

Modeling the Past: The Paleoethnological Evidence

This chapter considers the earliest Paleolithic, Oldowan (Mode 1), and Acheulean (Mode 2) cultures of the Old Continent and the traces left by the earliest hominids since their departure from Africa. According to the most recent archaeological data, they seem to have followed two main dispersal routes across the Arabian Peninsula toward the Levant, to the north, and the Indian subcontinent, to the east. According to recent discoveries at Dmanisi in the Caucasus, the first Paleolithic settlement of Europe is dated to some 1.75 Myr ago, which indicates that the first “out of Africa” took place at least slightly before this date. The data available for Western Europe show that the first Paleolithic sites can be attributed to the period slightly before 1.0 Myr ago. The first well-defined “structural remains” so far discovered in Europe are those of Isernia La Pineta in Southern Italy, where a semicircular artificial platform made of stone boulders and animal bones has been excavated. The first hand-thrown hunting weapons come from the site of Scho¨ningen in north Germany, where the first occurrence of wooden spears, more than 2 m long, has been recorded from a site attributed to some 0.37 Myr ago. Slightly later began the regular control of fire. Although most of the archaeological finds of these ages consist of chipped stone artifacts, indications of art seem to be already present in the Acheulean of Africa and the Indian subcontinent

Data from: Serum biochemistry panels in African buffalo: Defining reference intervals and assessing variability across season, age and sex

Serum biochemical parameters can be utilized to evaluate the physiological status of an animal, and relate it to the animal’s health. In order to accurately interpret individual animal biochemical results, species-specific reference intervals (RI) must be established. Reference intervals for biochemical parameters differ between species, and physiological differences including reproductive status, nutritional resource availability, disease status, and age affect parameters within the same species. The objectives of this study were to (1) establish RI for biochemical parameters in managed African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), (2) assess the effects of age, sex, pregnancy, and season on serum biochemistry values, and (3) compare serum biochemistry values from a managed herd to a free-ranging buffalo herd and to values previously published for captive (zoo) buffalo. Season profoundly affected all biochemistry parameters, possibly due to changes in nutrition and disease exposure. Age also affected all biochemical parameters except gamma glutamyl transferase and magnesium, consistent with patterns seen in cattle. Sex and reproductive status had no detectable effects on the parameters that were measured. The biochemical profiles of managed buffalo were distinct from those observed in the free-ranging herd and captive buffalo. Biochemical differences between buffalo from captive, managed, and free-ranging populations may be related to nutritional restriction or lack of predation in the context of management or captivity. The reference intervals provided in this study, in addition to the seasonal and age-related patterns observed, provide a foundation for health investigations that may inform management strategies in this ecologically and economically important species

General linear mixed model results comparing wild and managed herds, and mean serum biochemistry values for wild, managed, and captive African buffalo (+/- standard error of the mean).

<p>The captive values are from Species360 and are listed in italics as the data was not collected during this project, but is listed for comparison as the only prior information on these values in African buffalo. Asterisks indicate level of significance (* ≤0.05, **≤0.01, ***≤0.001) and parameters with statistically significant differences between managed and wild are bolded.</p

The location of African buffalo used in this study.

<p>The enclosure is located in the central portion of KNP near Satara and experiences only 500mm of rain per year, with the majority occurring during the summer months. Total size of the enclosure is 900 hectares, and is enclosed in a double fence to exclude large predators. The buffalo captured as part of the free-ranging herd were initially located in the south-eastern portion of the park centered around Lower Sabie, which experiences similar rainfall to the managed herd. The free-ranging herd was allowed to disperse as normal over the 4 years of the study which resulted in individuals being re-captured throughout the southern portion of the park, as far north as Olifants and spanning the geographic area the managed herd is maintained in [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0176830#pone.0176830.ref025" target="_blank">25</a>].</p

Managed African buffalo serum biochemistry parameters across seasons.

<p>Within each parameter, shared letters indicate no significant difference across seasons. The heat map shows the percent difference between seasonal average value and overall average for each parameter, with red being very high concentration and white being very low concentration. All parameters were centered and transformed so that color varies on the same scale for each parameter.</p

Effects of age on serum biochemistry parameters.

<p>Serum biochemistry parameters are only shown here if age or age squared are significant model parameters. The line represents the fitted line from the model while the points are each individual data point. CK is shown on a separate graph due to scale. Age has been rescaled (see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0176830#sec002" target="_blank">Methods</a>).</p

Sample collection details.

<p>The number of samples collected from each age group across four seasons in a herd of managed buffalo contained in a 900 hectare enclosure within KNP.</p

Effects of demographics and season in general linear mixed models for serum biochemistry values in managed buffalo.

<p>Effects of demographics and season in general linear mixed models for serum biochemistry values in managed buffalo.</p