This study analyzed hematological values of three indigenous goat breeds (Kambing Katjang, Boer, and Jamnapari) in Malaysia to understand how values are affected by sex and breed. Blood samples were taken every two weeks from 60 adult goats. Several parameters, such as red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and platelet count, were found to be significantly influenced by breed and sex. Female Jamnapari goats had higher red blood cell counts, while male Boer goats had higher hemoglobin levels. Overall, Kambing Katjang goats performed better than the other breeds in immune system markers. The study contributes to understanding adaptation processes in goat breeds and provides useful health information.

1. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATION CENTRE
www.arccjournals.com/www.ijaronline.in
*Corresponding author’s e-mail: haniza@fsmt.upsi.edu.my
Indian J. Anim. Res., 52(12) 2018: 1701-1704
Print ISSN:0367-6722 / Online ISSN:0976-0555
Haematological values of apparently healthy indigenous goats in Malaysia:
A comparative study
T.A. Mohammed Muayad, M.Z.H. Haniza*, I. Husni and Alene Tawang
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics,
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia.
Received: 02-04-2016 Accepted: 17-08-2016 DOI: 10.18805/ijar.v0iOF.6828
ABSTRACT
Objective of this studywas to understand the changes that occur among several strains of goats in Malaysia byinvestigating
the haematological values under the tropical climate to stand on the health level and immune system. Sixtyadult goats were
used. These goats comprised three indigenous breeds, namely, Kambing Katjang, Boer, and Jamnapari. Blood samples
(n=618) were withdrawn for every2 weeks. Complete blood picture was determined immediatelyafter collection.ANOVA,
(P< 0.05), was used to analyze data for the effects of sex and breed. Several of the analyzed parameters seem to be affected
at the sex and breed.
Key words: Boer, Goats, Haematology, Jamnapari, Kambing Katjang.
INTRODUCTION
Blood composition of an animal may be influenced
bycertain factors, such as nutrition, management, sex, age,
diseases, and stress (Schalm et al., 1975). A great variation
exists in the haematological parameters, as observed among
breeds of goats (Tambuwal et al., 2002). In this regard,
formulating a universal metabolic profile test for goat may
be difficult (Opara et al., 2010). The life of all flesh is blood,
and its usefulness in assessing the health status, chemical
evaluation for survey, physiological pathological conditions
and diagnostic and prognostic evaluations of various types
ofdiseases in animals cannot be overemphasized (Tambuwal
et al., 2002). Blood also helps in distinguishing the normal
state form of stress, which can be maturational,
environmental, or physical (Aderemi, 2004). Haematological
values are widelyused todetermine systematic relationships
and physiological adaptations, including the assessment of
the general health condition of an animal (Kamal Shah et
al., 2007).
Although goats are prolific animals, which is a trait
ofmajor economic importance, their haematological analyses
are not available extensivelyin animal breeding in Malaysia.
Therefore, this study was designed to understand the
haematological changes that occur among three indigenous
breeds, namely, Kambing Katjang, Boer, and Jamnapari in
Malaysia.
MATERIALSAND METHODS
Location and animals: This experiment was conducted at
Alhilmi Farm, Slim River, under the control of University
Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia. The animals were
adjusted and supplemented with food for 2 months prior to
the start of the experiment. A total of 60 adult goats were
used, consisting of 30 bucks and 30 does (10 to each breed).
The animals were apparently healthy. Pregnant and
apparentlysick animals were excluded. The age ofthe adults
ranged from 8–12 months at the onset of the experiment.
Weather temperature was 23°C–37 °C.
Experimental methodology: The animals were grouped in
their respective cages and fed a pellet and green fodder (2
kg/goat/dayand 4 kg/goat/day, respectively) and had access
to mineral salt and water ad libitum.
Blood sampling: Atotal of 618 blood samples were collected
from goats of different breeds. The blood was through their
jugular veins with a syringe with 18G needle for every 2
weeks. The blood samples of 3.5 ml were collected into a
plastic tube containing EDTAfor haematological studies.
Haematology: Haematological tests included total red blood
cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume
(PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular
hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration (MCHC), RBC
distribution width (RDW), total white blood cell (WBC)
count, polymorphs (Polys), lymphocytes (Lymphs),
monocytes (Monos), eosinophils (Eos), basophils (Basos),
and platelet count (PLT) were determined immediatelyafter
collection via microscopy and testing machine.
Statistical analysis: Two-wayANOVAwas performed with
SPSS to analyze the data, and the significance was at P<0.05
for blood parameters. The analysis determined the significant
differences based on the blood constituents, which were
influenced by breed and sex of the goats in Malaysia.

2. 1702 INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL RESEARCH
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Several of the analyzed blood parameters seemed
to be affected at the sex and breed. One or both of these
factors revealed a steady state or a development of the
haematological system for goats (Table 1, Fig. 1).
RBC: The RBC of female Jamnapari goats were high (P <
0.05) compared to other goats. The RBC count in all types
of goats was lower than that reported in other works (Zumbo
et al., 2011; Shaikat et al., 2013). The results disagreed with
the findings of another study (Rice and Hall, 2007), which
investigated mountain goats. The difference might be caused
by the variation in the magnitude of their position or
geographical variation. The results ofthe RBC count showed
that does have higher RBC values than bucks. The difference
mayhave caused bysex is a signal of the health status of the
various sex groups among the investigated goat breed. The
results disagreed with the findings in the other works (Schalm
et al., 1975; Addas et al., 2010), which reported that bucks
have higher RBC values than does.
Hb: AHb of male Boer goats were high (P < 0.05) compared
toother goats. The Hbconcentration in malesthan in females.
This characteristic is an advantage in terms of the oxygen
carrying capacityof the blood. The results agreed with those
reported in other workers Tambuwal et al., (2002), Rice and
Hall, (2007), Piccione et al., (2010a). In this study, the Hb
values in goats were higher than those reported in other works
Kiran et al., (2012), Shaikat et al., (2013). The probable
reason is the nutritional variation, strain, and sex of goats.
PCV: The PCV of female Jamnapari goats were higher (P<
0.05) than the other breeds. Also the level of PCV in does
was higher than that in bucks. This result disagreed with
that of Njidda et al. (2013), who claimed that bucks having
higher PCV values than does is a likelihood of inherent sex
differences between male and female (Addas et al., 2010).
Table 1: Haematological values of different breeds and sex of indigenous goat adults.
Strain KK Boer Jamnapari
Sex Male Female St. Error Male Female St. Error Male Female St. Error
RBC 3.3 3.5c
.09888 4 4.2b
.10483 3.2 4.8a
.27285
Hb 10.4b
10.4b
.08165 10.9a
7.8 .53401 10.2b
9.6 .14667
PCV 27 38c
1.96356 40 45b
1.19954 35 53a
3.16228
MCV 81 111a
5.47925 100b
107 2.81366 109a
108 2.68845
MCH 32a
30.5 .86683 27b
19 1.69476 32a
20 2.19848
MCHC 39a
27.5 2.08333 27c
17 1.72240 30b
21 2.09497
RDW 22.1 23.6a
1.01994 24a
19.8 .95801 22.6b
21.1 1.01994
WBC 167 186a
763.79898 147 177b
598.88786 103 122c
390.79691
Polys 36 57c
3.54018 68b
75a
2.08535 28 52d
4.25898
Lymphs 62a
40.5 3.65775 29 20 1.54020 57b
47c
2.97769
Monos 2b
1.5 .20069 1 5a
.75277 0 1c
.18257
Eos 0 1c
.18254 2b
0 .34157 5a
1 .75166
Basos 0 0 .00000 0 0 .00000 0 0 .00000
PLT 810b
552 43652.4150 655 831a
31273.3468 815b
521 49659.2836
Means within the same row with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).
*WBC x102
, PLT x103.
Fig 1: Haematological values of indigenous goat adults in Malaysia
*Fig. 1 Indicates that the comparison among the blood values of adults.

3. Volume 52 Issue 12 (December 2018) 1703
The findings of this studyindicated that PCV varies among
sex and breed of goats. An increase in PCV values might be
attributed to the increase in environmental temperature
(Isidahomen et al., 2010). The increased PCV values
observed in this study might probably be a sign of healthy
goats.
MCV: The MCV of female Kambing Katjang (KK) goats
were high (P< 0.05). The values ofMCV were no differences
exist among adults except in KK. However, the reference
values determined in the present studydisagreed with those
of the described goats by other researchers, and the trend
was higher to that reported in other studies (Addas et al.,
2010).
MCH and MCHC: MCH and MCHC of male KK goats
were high (P < 0.05). The MCH and MCHC in this study
showed higher values than those recorded byAfyon (2012).
MCH measures the amount or the mass of Hb present in one
RBC, whereas MCHC measures the proportion of each cell
taken up by Hb. An MCHC of less than 32% or an MCH
under 27 % indicates that the RBCs are deficient in Hb
concentration. MCH has been decreased in the females of
Boer and Jamnapari. MCHC is very significant in the
diagnosis of anemia. It also serves as a useful index of the
capacity of bone marrow to produce RBCs (Berger, 2003).
Total WBC: The WBC of female Kambing Katjang (KK)
goats were high (P < 0.05). The values of total WBC count
showed nonsignificant effect of sex, which indicates that the
sex have little or no effect on the health status of these goat
breeds; however, the obtained values in this studywere higher
than those obtained in other works Tambuwal et al., (2002),
Zumbo et al., (2011), Shaikat et al., (2013). The results also
disagreed with those reported in many works Piccione et
al., (2010a), which reported that sex factors might affect
these values. Differentials leucocyte counts were explained
for all original breeds. The increased values showed in KK
goatsobtained in this studysuggested that theimmune system
of this goat breed was well developed. Compared with other
ruminants, more lymphocytes exist in circulation than
neutrophils (Afyon, 2012). The increased values of the WBC
observed may also be attributed to the extensively managed
goats, therebymaking them face challenges from microbes
when on a free range. WBCs were the first line of defense of
a body against invading bacteria and other harmful
organisms.WBC count measured thetotal number ofall types
of WBCs. Further examination of the different types and
numbers of cells present can present an information about
the state of the defense system of a body. Thus, the female
of KK have the strongest defense system among all other
goats in this study.
Polymorph and Lymphocytes: Polymorphs of female Boer
goats were high (P < 0.05). The lymphocytes of male KK
goats were high (P < 0.05). The polys values in females of
Boer were higher than those in males. The lymphs levels
were comparable among the breeds and sex groups of the
animals. In goats, similar to other ruminants, high levels of
lymphs exist in circulation (Olusanya et al., 1976). Lymphs
are the keyelements in the production ofimmunity. However,
sex, and breed significantlyinfluence lymphocyte count. In
the present study, the lymphocyte percentage was higher than
the findings by many researchers Rice and Hall, (2007),
Piccione et al., (2010b), Shaikat et al., (2013). It isalsohigher
in male ofKKcompared with other sex andbreeds. Thereason
mayprobablybe the altitude variation and other factors.
Monocyte: Monocytes of female Boer goats were high (P <
0.05). The Monos percentage of adult goats was lower in
the present study than that in the findings of Piccione et al.
(2010a) for Girgentana goat and that in Rice and Hall (2007)
for mountain goats. The reason might be caused by the
prevalence of chronic infection exposure in plain land
compared with those in the mountains.
Eosinophils: The values for eosinophils in this study were
higher in adult males ofJamnapari than in other breeds. These
results were lower than those in Njidda et al. (2013).
However, the selectins and integrins have some selectivity
in the wayin which theyrespond and on the killing molecules
they secrete (Ganong, 2005).
Basophils: A basophils values were generally not observed
in all the breeds investigated. This result is similar to that of
Njidda et al. (2013).
Platelet count: In the present study, the PLT counts are an
important parameter because their count in the goat blood
cannot be established easily and because of the change
showed during the experimental period in adults. However,
the PLT values of female Boer were higher than those of all
the other breeds. These values were higher than those
reported by Zumbo et al. (2011).
The results presented in this studycontribute to the
knowledge of adaptation process in breeds. A knowledge on
the haematological values for the adults of this species
provides a useful information for the diagnosis and treatment
of some diseases.
CONCLUSION
Based on these findings, breed showed remarkable
influence on the haematological values of goats studied in
Malaysia. The values obtained are comparable to values
recorded elsewhere. A fluctuation exists in all the
haematological parameters of all the breeds of the animals.
However, the cause of the fluctuation in various parameters
may be undetected minor infections, weather extremities,
and management in these areas.
For all values analyzed, KK animals performed
better than other breeds in improving the immune system.
Further selection for improved goats’ quality in Malaysia
should be performed in KK. However, further studies on
goats in Malaysia are required.

4. 1704 INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL RESEARCH
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to acknowledge the invaluable
contribution ofAlhilmi Farm, Slim River, Perak, Malaysia
and the Biology Department, Faculty of Science and
Mathematics, University Pendidikan Sultan Idris in
supporting this study.
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