Effect of prolonged drinking saline water on the blood picture of growing lambs

ABSTRACT

Twenty-four male Barki lambs, at an average 10.4 +/- 0.1 months of age and 26.0 +/- 0.8 kg body weight, were equally divided into two groups, one of which was used as a control [fresh-water treated] group while the other one was used as a saline [13.1 g/TDS] treated group. Drinking saline water was prepared by daily dilution of sea water [39.3 g/TDS]. The experiment extended from December 1992 to September 1994 [21 months]. Anticoagulated blood samples were collected pretreatment [zero-time], thereafter, at monthly intervals for six months and every three months during the rest period of treatment. The results reflected that successive growth of fresh-water treated lambs was accompanied by a tendency of increasing in red blood cells [RBCs], segmented neutrophils [SN], eosinophils [EOS], basophils [BAS] and lymphocytes [LYM] counts. Packed cells volume [PCV] and hemoglobin concentration [HB] showed the same trend by advancing age. However, monocytes [Mon] counts showed a reverse trend where it tended to decline by advancing age