Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb
Abstract
The study was conducted on 85 neonatals of Pak-Karakul sheep at the Sheep and Goat Development Centre, Rakh Khairewala, District Layyah, Pakistan, with the aim of assessing the relationship of immunoglobulins to neonatal lamb mortality. Overall mortality in neonates was 8.24%. Surviving lambs (3.77±0.07 kg) were significantly (P<0.001) heavier than those that died during the neonatal period (2.79±0.018 kg). Males were significantly (P<0.05) heavier than females (3.84±0.11 vs. 3.52±0.09 kg). The lambs that survived the neonatal period had a significantly (P<0.001) higher level of immunoglobulins (30.89±0.87 ZST units) than those that died (7.08±1.99 ZST units). The mean total serum protein values for surviving and dead lambs, using a refractometer, were 78.51±1.86 and 47.14±4.84 g/l, respectively. The turbidity values below 10 ZST units and total serum protein level below 50 g/l may be considered as an indication of hypogammaglobulinemia and consequently an increased susceptibility to diseases and subsequent deaths.Istraživanje je provedeno na 85 novorođenčadi pak-karakul ovaca u Sheep and Goat Development Centru u Rakh Khairewala, u području Layyah u Pakistanu, s ciljem procjene odnosa imunoglobulina i neonatalne smrtnosti janjadi. Ukupna smrtnost novorođenčadi je bila 8,24%. Janjad koja je preživjela (3,77±0,07 kg) imala je značajno (P<0,001) veću masu od one koja je uginula u neonatalnom razdoblju (2,79±0,018 kg). Masa mužjaka bila je značajno (P<0,05) veća od mase ženki (3,84±0,11 prema 3,52±0,09 kg). Janjci koji su preživjeli neonatalno razdoblje imali su značajno (P<0,001) višu razinu imunoglobulina (30,89±0,87 ZST jedinica) od onih koji su uginuli (7,08±1,99 ZST jedinica). Prosječne vrijednosti ukupnih serumskih proteina preživjelih i uginulih janjaca, mjerene refraktometrom, bile su 78,51±1,86 odnosno 47,14±4,84 g/l. Vrijednosti za turbiditet ispod10 ZST jedinica i za ukupne serumske proteine ispod 50 g/l mogu se smatrati indikacijom hipogamaglobulinemije i posljedične povećane prijemljivosti za bolesti i smrtnost
