Eight hours road transportation and ascorbic acid administration effects on haematological parameters of pigs during the harmattan season

摘要

Experiment was conducted with the aim of investigating eight hours road transportation and ascorbic acid (AA) administration effects on haematology and serum biochemical parameters of pigs during the harmattan season. Seventeen pigs administered with AA at a dose of 250 mg/kg per os and individually served as experimental animals, and 12 others each administered orally with sterile water served as control animals. The animals were then transported for 8-h at a speed of 40- 50 km/h covering a distance of 260 km. Blood samples were taken early in the morning a day before transportation, immediately after and a week after transportation. The leucocyte count dropped in the experimental pigs from 18,686.24 ± 832.51 × 103/μl before the journey to 16,790.00 ± 782.50 × 103/μl immediately after the journey (P > 0.05), while the recorded values in the control pigs before (17,058.33 ± 698.25 × 103/μl) transportation was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the value of 19,420.67 ± 1034.00 × 103/μl obtained after the journey. The neutrophils: lymphocyte ratio obtained in the control animals increased from 0.36 ± 0.04 before transportation to 0.38 ± 0.04 immediately after transportation. Aspartate amino transferase and urea values were significantly different (P < 0.05) in the experimental and control pigs immediately after the journey. This study indicates for the first time the beneficial effect of AA administration on haematology of pigs transported by road during the harmattan season for long journey of 8-h. It is, therefore, recommended that pigs be administered with AA before transportation by road during the harmattan season in order to reduce the risk of adverse effects of transportation stress on health.