Abstract

STUDY OF BLOOD PROFILE FOR LIBYAN JIRD (MERIONES LIBYCUS) IN THE FIRST PORTION OF WESTERN DESERT OF ALNAJAF PROVINCE

*Haydar Abdullah Nasser Al-Zubaidi and Hayder Mohammed Jabr AL-Rammahi

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of seasonal variation on the haematological and biochemical parameters in adult wild Libyan jird (Meriones libycus) The study was carried out in the first portion of western desert of Al- Najaf province , as far as about 65 Km from city center. Blood samples were collected from 46 animals (23 males and 23 females) were collected during two periods , the first period was in September as a part of dry season and the second period was in December as a part of fall season for analyzing hematological and biochemical parameters. In hematological parameters, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and white blood count (WBC) were significantly increased in winter compared with summer season. Whereas, only mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was significantly decreased in fall compared with dry season. Sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, calcium, albumin, globulin and total protein were significantly decreased in fall season compared with dry season. Whereas, urea was significantly increased in fall compared with dry season. In conclusion, heat stress during dry season caused deterioration in some hematological and serum biochemical constituents of Libyan jird (Meriones libycus).

Keywords: Libyan jird, Season, Haematology, Biochemical Parameters.