Publisher: Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun UDC 636.4 DOI:10.2298/BAH1004239J LEUKOCYTE PROFILE IN SOWS DURING LACTATION PERIOD

Abstract

Original scientific paper Abstract: During prepartum and postpartum period, there occurs in sows a significant change in the values of haematologic and biochemical parameters. The objective of this research paper was to examine the change in the count of the cells of white blood line in the course of lactation period. The trial was conducted on ten Swedish Landrace breed sows, having the blood taken on the first day postpartum (1-6h), and in the third and fourth week of lactation. The results obtained for haemotologic analyses have suggested the increase in total number of leukocytes and neutrophilic granulocytes, and the decrease in the number of lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils on the first day postpartum. In the third and fourth week of lactation a statistically significant fall in the number of leukocytes and granulocytes in relation to the first day was observed, along with a significant increase in limphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils. In examined time intervals the number of basophils did not change significantly. The neutrophil-limphocyte index was highest on the first day postpartum, while in the third and fourth week it was significantly lower. Key words: sows, cells of white blood lin