CHANGES IN SOME HEMATOLOGICAL AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS DURING THE FIRST WEEK AFTER LAMBING IN SIX CONSECUTIVE PARITIES IN SOME EGYPTIAN SHEEP BREEDS

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SUMMARY This study was carried out at the Agricultural Experimental Station, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University. It aimed to determine the effect of breed and parity on some hematological and biochemical parameters during the first week of lactation throughout six consecutive parities in some Egyptian sheep breeds. A total of 108 ewes of three breeds, Barki, Rahmani and Barki x Rahmani crossbreed (36 ewes per each breed and 6 ewes per each parity within breed) were used. Blood samples were collected every other day during the first week of lactation. Results demonstrated that Rahmani and crossbred ewes had higher Hb concentration compared to Barki ewes. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) among all sheep breeds in PCV %. Rahmani ewes had the highest PCV %, while Barki ewes had the lowest values. The crossbred ewes had greater (p < 0.05) MCHC than the other two pure breeds. Hemoglobin concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in the ewes during the third and fifth parities than those in the other parities, while PCV and MCHC % fluctuated and recorded the highest values in ewes at the fifth and third parities, respectively. Rahmani ewes had greater (P<0.05) serum total protein and albumin concentrations than both Barki and crossbred ewes, while serum total lipids and cholesterol concentrations were higher (P< 0.05) in Barki ewes compared those of Rahmani and crossbred ewes. On the other hand, crossbred ewes showed higher (P<0.05) serum glucose, AST and ALT enzyme activities than the two pure breeds. Ewes, in the third parity, showed greater (P<0.05) serum albumin, cholesterol, AST and ALT than those of other parities. Low serum total protein concentrations were noted in the ewes at the second and third parities. Serum glucose concentrations were high in the first day of lactation, then decreased (P<0.05) sharply from the third day of lactation. Within the first day of lactation, ewes in the first parity recorded the lowest glucose concentrations, which were increased with increasing the parity of the different three breeds. Both Rahmani and crossbred ewes had higher hemoglobin concentrations and PCV % than Barki ewes; this may be reflected on the productivity and adaptability of each breed to their environment.