Hematology and Serum Biochemistry of Juvenile, Nursing Mothers and Pregnant West African Dwarf Goats Raised in Sub-Saharan Africa
2025
Olaifa, A. K. | Ariyibi, A. | Usman, A. A. | Olaifa, O. S. | Balogun , S.
This study evaluated hematological and serum biochemical profiles of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats across different physiological stages; juveniles, nursing mothers, and pregnant does, reared under identical intensive management. Fifteen healthy goats (n = 5 per group) were monitored over six weeks in Ibadan, Nigeria. Blood samples were analyzed weekly for packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), red and white blood cell counts (RBC, WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, liver enzymes (AST, ALP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, and glucose. Pregnant goats exhibited significantly higher PCV (33.8 ± 4.2%), Hb (12.1 ± 1.2 g/dL), WBC (13.2 ± 2.5 × 10⁹/L), TP (8.1 ± 0.9 g/dL), AST (329.9 ± 45.2 U/L), ALP (246.8 ± 35.7 U/L), and BUN (26.2 ± 3.4 mg/dL) compared to juveniles and nursing mothers (p < 0.05). RBC counts (10.9–11.5 × 10¹²/L), MCV (19.9–20.1 fL), MCH (5.9–6.4 pg), creatinine (1.2–1.8 mg/dL), and glucose (86.1–90.2 mg/dL) remained relatively stable across groups. Our results highlight clear stage-dependent hematological and biochemical adaptations during pregnancy and early life emphasizing the inadequacy of generalized adult reference intervals and the need for physiological-stage-specific thresholds in WAD goats. Adoption of cohort-specific reference values will enhance diagnostic precision, support targeted nutritional planning, and improve herd health management under intensive systems.
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