R. DEKIC1, A. IVANC2, D. CETKOVIC1, Z. DOLICANIN2 and S. OBRADOVIC2
1 University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 78000 Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 State University of Novi Pazar, 36300 Novi Pazar, Serbia
DEKIC, R., A. IVANC, D. CETKOVIC, Z. DOLICANIN and S. OBRADOVIC, 2014. Hematology of Bosnian pony. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 20: 1237-1244
This article deals with the possibilities and ways of using relatively simple hematological methods in evaluation of horse welfare and health. It provides an extensive account of data concerning this topic, as well as a brief outline of basic, easily applicable hematological methods. Evaluation of Bosnian Pony welfare and health was estimated using hematological status of stallions, mares and foals and different age groups of this breed. Blood samples were collected from clinically normal animals and analyzed using a hematological analyzer. Red blood cell count (RBC), White Blood Cell Count (WBC), hemoglobin concentration were measured directly; Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentrations (MCHC) were calculated automatically. Mean values and variation range were determined for stallions, mares and foals. Average values of hematological parameters of adult Bosnian ponies were: WBC = 6.204 ·109/l, RBC = 9.110·1012/l, PCV = 0.422 l/l, Hb = 159.33 g/l, MCV = 46.16 f/l, MCH = 17.58 pg, MCHC = 383.11 g/l ery., while foals had values: WBC = 9.353 ·109/l, RBC = 9.860·1012, PCV = 0.384 l/l, Hb = 148.89 g/l, MCV = 38.94 f/l, MCH = 15.32 pg, MCHC = 392.82 g/l ery.. These values are characteristic for this breed and can be used in health evaluation.