Comparative Study of Haematological and Biochemical Parameters in Healthy and Ascariosis Affected Buffalo Calves*

The blood was collected from 15 healthy buffalo calves and 6 ‘mild’, 6 ‘moderate’ and 6 ‘severe’ ascariosis affected buffalo calves and haematological and various biochemical parameters were estimated. In haematological study involving packed cell volume(PCV), there was a significant increase in PCV in moderate and severely affected buffalo calves. In the biochemical study, parameters like calcium, triglycerides, cholesterol, globulins and albumin : globulin (A:G) ratio showed no significant difference in mild, moderate and severe ascariosis as compared to healthy buffalo calves. The blood phosphorus level of buffalo calves affected with mild and severe ascariosis was significantly increased. The Calcium:Phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio was drastically decreased in severe and mild ascariosis and moderately decreased in moderate ascariosis affected buffalo calves. The SGOT levels were significantly increased in moderate and severe ascariosis whereas the SGPT and total bilirubin levels were significantly increased in severe ascariosis. The glucose and total plasma proteins level were significantly decreased in severe ascariosis. * This forms part of M.V.Sc. Thesis submitted by the First author to University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad 580 005, India. INTRODUCTION Ascariosis caused by Toxocara vitulorum is one of the major helminthoses in calves. The disease is much more common in buffalo calves as compared to cow calves (Das and Singh, 1955) and is considered as the number one cause of calf morbidity and mortality in buffalo calves (Radostits et al., 1994), inflicting considerable economic loss to the farmers. The migrating larvae of T. vitulorum in infected calves cause pathological changes in the liver and lungs and the adult worms can cause intestinal obstruction which can end in death of calves (Srivastava, 1963; Lai and Canu, 1979). Since the exact cause of death is not known and many buffalo calves of this region and probably of other regions viz., Haryana (Gupta et al., 1985), Uttar Pradesh (Agnihotri, 1993), Andhra Pradesh (Srinivasa Rao et al., 2000), Bihar (Usharani Devi et al., 2000) etc., die of ascariosis, it is essential to study haematological and biochemical changes of calves suffering from ascariosis for proper understanding of the pathogenesis which will be very useful in formulating the proper therapeutic measures. MATERIAL AND METHODS The buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calves presented to Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex of Veterinary College, Bidar and calves of neighbouring villages of Bidar were utilized in the present study. The data pertaining to age, breed and sex were collected. The calves with natural infection of ascariosis were used for the haematological and biochemical studies. The buffalo calves were divided broadly into two groups after faecal examination. The first group of buffalo calves which appeared healthy wherein the clinical parameters viz., temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate were within the normal range and upon faecal examination were negative for ova of T. vitulorum were considered as ‘healthy buffalo calves’. The second group of buffalo calves showing clinical signs of ascariosis and the faecal samples positive for the ova of T. vitulorum were considered as ‘ascariosis affected buffalo calves’. Based on the clinical Indian J. Anim. Res., 40 (2): 113 117, 2006