Suchint Simaraks, Orawan Chinrasri and Worapol Aengwanich

pp. 425 - 430

Abstract

Thai indigenous chickens (Gallus domesticus) have been domesticated in rural villages in Thailand
for a long time. These birds are important to low-income people who live in the rural part of Thailand.
However, health problems have been a major cause limiting their population. Hematological, electrolyte and
serum biochemical values, which are important for diagnosis of clinical signs and symptoms when affected
by diseases, are limited. Blood samples from 40 chickens (20 males and 20 females) were used for hematological test while another 18 samples (from 10 males and 8 females) were analysed for electrolyte and serum
biochemical values. The samples were obtained from Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Roi - Et, Maha Sarakham and
Nakhon Ratchasima provinces, northeastern region of Thailand. The results revealed the following information: total red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular
volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, total white blood
cell count, lymphocyte, heterophil, monocyte, eosinophil, basophil, H:L ratio values of Thai native chickens were 2.26 ± 0.29 × 10⁶ cells/µl, 8.89 ± 1.20 g/dl, 32.18 ± 4.46%, 144.63 ± 18.61 fl, 39.69 ± 4.96 pg, 27.86 ±
3.37 g/dl, 2.04 ± 0.45 × 10⁴ cells/µl, 63.68 ± 9.36%, 23.70 ± 7.21%, 4.20 ± 3.20%, 5.83 ± 3.53%, 2.65 ± 2.09%
and 0.40 ± 0.17, respectively. Potassium, sodium and chloride values of Thai native chickens were 5.3 ±
0.8 mmol/l, 155.9 ± 3.1 mmol/l and 116.9 ± 2.7 mmol/l, respectively. Furthermore, serum biochemistry
values of Thai native chickens such as total protein, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, uric acid, calcium and
cholesterol were 4.6 ± 1.0 mg/dl, 190.2 ± 29.8 mg/dl, 235.9 ± 68.6 U/L, 5.0 ± 1.9 mg/dl, 10.4 ± 1.2 mg/dl and
102.4 ± 30.8 mg/dl, respectively. Besides, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume and eosinophil in
the males were significantly higher than in the females Thai indigenous chickens (P<0.05), lymphocyte
counts of the females were significantly higher than the males (P<0.05). From serum biochemical values,
potassium, sodium, total protein and uric acid of female indigenous birds were significantly higher than
males (P<0.05).

Keywords

• hematological
• electrolyte and blood biochemistry
• Thai indigenous chickens