Haematology and biochemistry in healthy young pheasants and red-legged partridges and effects of spironucleosis on these parameters

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Effect of Spironucleus infection on red cell parameters of pheasants. Gp, group.

Table 1.  Comparison of haematological values between young, farmed pheasants that are uninfected and those that are moderately or severely affected by spironucleosis

	Group 1, uninfected (n=23)	Group 2, moderate infection (n=12)	Group 3, severe infection (n=21)
RBC×10^12/l	3.10±0.07 (2.57–3.87)	3.34±0.17^ns (2.73–4.66)	3.67±0.16^a,NS (2.27–5.14)
Haematocrit	0.34±0.004 (0.32–0.40)	0.36±0.01^ns (0.30–0.43)	0.41±0.14^d,A (0.26–0.52)
Haemoglobin (g/dl)	16.40±0.33 (14.4–18.9)	16.74±0.63^ns (13.3–20.8)	18.92±0.67^b,A (12.2–24.5)
MCV (fl)	112.0±2.0 (94–131)	110.0±3.9^ns (88–132)	111.5±2.5^ns,NS (93–141)
MCHC (g/dl)	47.4±0.5 (43–50)	46.0±40.8^ns (41–50)	46.3±0.5^ns,NS (42–50)
WBC×10^9/l	41.6±2.6 (21.0–63.5)	43.9±4.2^ns 25.0–66.0	43.8±3.7^ns,NS (14.5–69.0)
Heterophils (%) (n=7, 6 and 9 birds)	15.0±1.5 (10–21)	32.3±3.7^d (24–50)	43.7±2.2^d,A (31–51)
Lymphocytes (%)	67.0±1.9 (60–75)	63.3±3.8^ns (45–72)	52.6±2.1^d,A (44–62)
Basophils (%)	12.9±3.6 (2–26)	0.1±0.1^b (0–1)	0.1±0.1^c,NS (0–1)
Data presented as mean±standard error (range). MCV: Mean corpuscular volume; MCHC: Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration; P value versus group 1: ^ns P=not significant; ^a P<0.05; ^b P<0.01; ^c P<0.005; ^d P<0.001. P value versus group 2: ^NS P=not significant; ^A P<0.05; ^B P<0.01; ^C P<0.005; ^D P<0.001.

Table 2.  Comparison of plasma biochemistry values between healthy, young, farmed pheasants and partridges

	Pheasant (n=24)	Partridge (n=20)
Total protein (g/l)	35.0±0.6 (30.7–42.4)	36.9±0.8^ns (30.7–44.4)
Albumin (g/l)	18.1±0.4 (15.1–22.7)	18.2±0.4^ns (16.3–23.0)
Globulin (g/l)	16.9±0.4 (14.7–22.6)	18.7±0.6^a (14.1–24.8)
Alb:Glob ratio	1.11±0.04 (0.88–1.88)	0.99±0.03^a (0.78–1.21)
Osmolality	333.3±0.9 (323–340)	333.2±1.5^ns (321–349)
Sodium (mmol/l)	151.6±0.5 (147–156)	151.4±0.8^ns (146–161)
Chloride (mmol/l)	116.5±0.7 (110–125)	114.7±0.7^ns (108–119)
Potassium (mmol/l)	6.82±0.26 (5.51–8.74)	6.83±0.21^ns (5.56–8.70)
Magnesium (mmol/l)	0.85±0.03 0.67–1.19)	0.90±0.03^ns (0.65–1.19)
Calcium (mmol/l)	2.63±0.02 (2.45–2.75)	2.71±0.03^a (2.45–2.90)
Phosphate (mmol/l)	2.61±0.05 (2.30–3.10)	2.35±0.07^c (1.63–2.71)
Ca^2+:PO4 ^3− ratio	1.01±0.03 (0.71–1.17)	1.22±0.06^d (0.99–1.75)
Triglyceride (mmol/l)	0.78±0.05 (0.40–1.46)	1.55±0.12^d (0.83–3.44)
Glucose (mmol/l)	19.5±0.3 (15.8–23.7)	19.8±0.3^ns (17.4–22.7)
Data presented as mean±standard error (range). P value versus group 1: ^ns P=not significant; ^a P<0.05; ^b P<0.01; ^c P<0.005; ^d P<0.001.

Figure 2.  Effect of Spironucleus infection on plasma glucose and triglycerides levels in pheasants. Gp, group.

Table 3.  Comparison of plasma biochemistry values between young, farmed pheasants that are uninfected and those that are moderately or severely affected by spironucleosis

	Group 1, uninfected (n=34)	Group 2, moderate infection (n=13)	Group 3, severe infection (n=21)
Total protein (g/l)	35.0±0.6 (30.7–42.4)	30.8±1.1^d (26.3–38.4)	31.5±1.9^ns,NS (20.5–47.1)
Albumin (g/l)	18.1±0.4 (15.1–22.7)	15.2±0.4^d (13.9–17.7)	15.3±0.7^d,NS (10.8–22.6)
Globulin (g/l)	16.9±0.4 (14.7–22.6)	15.6±0.7^ns (12.4–21.6)	16.2±1.3^ns,NS (8.2–27.8)
Alb:Glob ratio	1.11±0.04 (0.88–1.88)	1.0±0.03^a (0.78±1.12)	1.0±0.04^ns,NS (0.65–1.57)
Osmolality	333.3±0.9 (323–340)	318.8±2.1^d (305–333)	304.0±3.7^d,C (259–331)
Sodium (mmol/l)	151.6±0.5 (147–156)	143.2±1.5^d (130–154)	135.4±2.2^d,A (108–151)
Chloride (mmol/l)	116.5±0.7 (110–125)	109.2±1.9^d (97–121)	97.4±2.6^d,C (64–119)
Potassium (mmol/l)	6.82±0.26 (5.51–8.74)	7.03±0.31^ns (5.45–8.80)	6.37±0.25^ns,NS (4.52–8.60)
Magnesium (mmol/l)	0.85±0.03 (0.67–1.19)	0.82±0.01^ns (0.73–0.88)	0.90±0.02^ns,C (0.72–1.05)
Calcium (mmol/l)	2.63±0.02 (2.45–2.75)	2.35±0.05^d (2.00–2.75)	2.28±0.04^d,NS (2.00–2.67)
Phosphate (mmol/l)	2.61±0.05 (2.30–3.10)	1.62±0.18^d (0.55–2.48)	1.47±0.10^d,NS (0.55–2.30)
Ca^2+:PO4 ^3− ratio	1.01±0.03 (0.71–1.17)	1.78±0.24^d (0.95–3.64)	1.76±0.15^d,NS (0.97–3.63)
Triglyceride (mmol/l)	0.78±0.05 (0.40–1.46)	0.64±0.05^ns (0.29–1.00)	0.54±0.07^b,NS (0.18–1.33)
Glucose (mmol/l)	19.5±0.3 (15.8–23.7)	21.0±1.1^ns (16.7–32.1)	17.3±1.3^a,A (6.1–32.1)
Data presented as mean±standard error (range). P value versus group 1: ^ns P=not significant; ^a P<0.05; ^b P<0.01; ^c P<0.005; ^d P<0.001. P value versus group 2: ^NS P=not significant; ^A P<0.05; ^B P<0.01; ^C P<0.005; ^D P<0.001.

Table 4.  Comparison of plasma biochemistry values between young, farmed partridges that are uninfected and those that were moderately or severely affected by spironucleosis.

	Group 1, uninfected (n=20)	Group 2, moderate infection (n=3)	Group 3, severe infection (n=7)
Total protein (g/l)	36.9±0.8 (30.7–44.4)	31.4±2.6^a (26.3–34.6)	35.4±2.3^ns,NS (30.0–47.0)
Albumin (g/l)	18.2±0.4 (16.3–23.0)	16.1±1.1^ns (13.9–17.6)	17.5±0.9^ns,NS (14.5–20.3)
Globulin (g/l)	18.7±0.6 (14.1–24.8)	15.2±1.4^ns (12.4–17.0)	17.9±1.7^ns,NS (13.8–26.8)
Alb:Glob ratio	0.99±0.03 (0.78–1.21)	1.07±0.03^ns (1.04–1.12)	1.01±0.07^ns,NS (0.75–1.31)
Osmolality	333.2±1.5 (321–349)	318.3±1.8^c (315–321)	296.9±5.2^d,A (279–314)
Sodium (mmol/l)	151.4±0.8 (146–161)	140.6±2.1^d (136–143)	131.2±2.2^d,A (120–139)
Chloride (mmol/l)	114.7±0.7 (108–119)	100.7±5.0^d (93–110)	94.4±3.4^d,NS (81–109)
Potassium (mmol/l)	6.83±0.21 (5.56– 8.70)	6.30±0.08^ns (6.15–6.43)	6.19±0.49^ns,NS (5.18–8.57)
Magnesium (mmol/l)	0.90±0.03 (0.65–1.19)	0.86±0.06^ns (0.80–0.98)	0.96±0.02^ns,NS (0.87–1.03)
Calcium (mmol/l)	2.71±0.03 (2.45–2.90)	2.34±0.02^d (2.30–2.37)	2.39±0.08^d,NS (2.02–2.71)
Phosphate (mmol/l)	2.35±0.07 (1.63–2.71)	1.94±0.13^a (1.69–2.13)	1.74±0.12^d,NS (1.25–2.14)
Ca^2+:PO4 ^3– ratio	1.22±0.06 (0.99–1.75)	1.22±0.09^ns (1.10–1.40)	1.40±0.08^ns,NS (1.10–1.61)
Triglyceride (mmol/l)	1.55±0.12 (0.83–3.44)	0.54±0.08^c (0.42–0.68)	0.45±0.04^d,NS (0.34–0.56)
Glucose (mmol/l)	19.8±0.3 (17.4–22.7)	17.3±1.2^b (14.9–18.7)	13.0±2.1^d,NS (2.7–17.7)
Data presented as mean±standard error (range). P value versus group 1: ^ns P=not significant; ^a P<0.05; ^b P<0.01; ^c P<0.005; ^d P<0.001. P value versus group 2: ^NS P=not significant; ^A P<0.05; ^B P<0.01; ^C P<0.005; ^D P<0.001.

Figure 3.  Effect of Spironucleus infection on moisture content of muscle, expressed as the percentage weight lost on drying. Gp, group.