The effects of different anticoagulants on biochemical parameters in blood of dairy cows

Abstract

Routine analysis of blood parameters requires high precision. Therefore a significant number of methods and recommendations has been developed to ensure the obtaining of precise results. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the type of anticoagulant affects the values of biochemical parameters in the blood of dairy cows in relation to the values obtained from the serum. The study was carried out on 20 healthy cows of Holstein- Friesian breed in the second month of lactation. The blood was taken by venipuncture from v.coccigea. There were used five types of vacutainers as follows: for the serum separation, with heparin, EDTA, citrate, and fluoride. Samples from each cow were taken in all five types of vacutainers respectively. There was determined the concentration of: albumin, total protein, glucose, Ca, P, BHB, NEFA, urea, cholesterol, triglycerides, ALT, AST, AP, GGT and bilirubin. The results of the analysis of samples that contained anticoagulants were compared statistically with analysis in serum that was considered to be the control one. It was also calculated the percentage of deviation in average values of concentration of metabolites obtained from samples with different anticoagulants in regard to the serum value. The results of the investigation show that anticoagulants influence the values of biochemical parameters in the blood of cows. In the samples where heparin was used as anticoagulant there was found higher albumin level (deviation 4.1%) as well as total protein (1.4%), but lower value of alkaline phosphatase activity relative to the serum (-33%). In the samples in which EDTA was used there were significantly lower levels of total protein (-5.8%), Ca (-49.6%), P (-17.7%), AP (-32%) and higher value AST (10.6%) compared to serum. In the samples where citrate or fluoride were used as anticoagulants there were found lower values of total protein, albumin, glucose (only citrate), Ca, P, BHB, NEFA, urea (only citrate), cholesterol, AP and GGT (only fluoride) and lower bilirubin when using citrate or higher when using fluoride, in comparison to the serum. Deviations of biochemical parameters measured from blood samples that were in citrate or fluoride were as follows: total protein (-5.3%, -5.2%), albumin (-7%, -5.7%), glucose (only citrate -6.2%), Ca (-55%, -82%), P (-29%, -24%), BHB (-53%, -80%), NEFA (-62.1%, -79 , 4%), urea (only citrate, -25.5%), cholesterol (-28.6%, -28.4%), AP (-38%, -32%), and GGT (only -17 fluoride, 8%) and higher bilirubin (-22.8%, 64.4%). For routine clinical biochemical analysis of blood of cows it is the most reliable to use the samples with heparin as an anticoagulant, because the use of other anticoagulants gives large variations in the values of biochemical parameters in relation to serum.