Some haematological values in rabbits from subtropical Trinidad, West Indies

Abstract

Blood samples from a total of 129 rabbits comprising fatteners (4-24 weeks) and adults (>24 weeks), males and females, and two breeds (New Zealand White and mixed) were analysed for haemoglobin concentration (Hb), haematocrit (Ht), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), white blood cell count (WBC), differential WBC (neutrophils (N), lymphocutes (L), eosinophils (E), monocytes (M), and Basophils (B)), and plasma prolein (PP) concentration. Mean values for these parameters were given as: Hb : 123.0 gm/1 ; Ht : 38.6% ; WBC : 6.9 x 103/µI ; N : 46.9% ; L : 39.2% ; E : 0.9% ; M : 4.4% ; B : 2.1 % ; PP : 66 gm/I and MCHC : 319 gm/I. These mean values were found to be comparable to !hose reported from other, normally temperate, countries. However, mean values in our study for Ht, N and M were found to be higher and that for L to be lower than previously reported. Significant differences were found between New Zealand While and mixed breed for WBC (8.1 vs. 6.4 x 103/µI) and for L (36.7 vs. 28.9%). Significant differences were observed between males and females for M (6.0 vs. 3.7%) and for B (1.4 vs. 2.6%). Fatteners differed significantly from adults in mean values for M only (3.8 vs. 5.9%). 11 is proposed that mean haematological values from this study can serve as a benchmark for domeslic rabbit populalions in the wider Caribbean.