The goal of this study was to generate a database of laboratory results for African
lion (Panthera leo) blood to obtain reliable reference ranges to augment what is
currently available in literature. Also to investigate the possibility of age and sex
having an influence on these reference ranges.
The specific objectives of this study were:
o to determine reference values for haematological and biochemical
blood variables for lions bred in captivity, as a function of age and sex;
o to evaluate the Beckman Coulter Acâ¢T 5diff Haematology Analyzer for
lion differential white blood cell analyses;
o to determine morphometric measurements and establish reference
growth curves (and range reference values) for lions bred and reared in
captivity as a function of age and sex; o to determine reference values for some practical and meaningful body
measurements and their correlations.
This study was conducted on three lion ranches in the Free State province and at the
Bloemfontein Zoological Gardens (Bloemfontein Zoo) with captive lions (Panthera
leo) of both sexes and ages ranging from three months to nine years. Lions were
divided into four age groups according to published literature.
Animals were chemically immobilized (darted) with Zoletil® 100 at 4 to 5mg/kg in
their holding camps and moved to a shaded place as soon as the drug had taken its
full effect. Blood was collected into three different types of blood collection tubes
and body measurements were taken. This was all done as fast as possible before
the effect of the immobilizing drug could wear off. In some cases it was necessary to
give an animal a top-up dose to prevent it from waking up too quickly. Animals were
moved back to their holding camps to fully recover from the immobilization.
Blood analyses done with the Acâ¢T 5diff Haematology Analyzer from Beckman
Coulter® for haematological parameters was conducted within 30 minutes after blood
collection. Blood for biochemistry parameters was centrifuged, serum collected and
cryo preserved at -20°C until it could be taken to the laboratory for analyses. Blood
smears were made on the lion ranches and Bloemfontein zoo immediately after the
analysis with the Acâ¢T 5diff Haematology Analyzer, fixed and packed for transport to
the laboratory.
At the laboratory the serum was used for biochemistry analyses, using standard
laboratory techniques. Blood smears were stained and examined under a light
microscope for the differential white blood cell count by means of the manual-visual
method.
Results were statistically analyzed to determine reference ranges and the influence
of age and sex on these reference range values for the different parameters, were
considered. Body measurement were also statistically analyzed to determine correlations
between body weight and different other measurements. These correlations were
then used to determine if it will be possible in a field situation to use the age and sex
of an animal together with a certain body measurement to estimate body weight
accurately, if actual weighing was not possible.
From these analyses it was concluded that age and sex do have an influence on
blood analysis and blood reference ranges for the African lion (Panthera leo).
Unfortunately, it differs between parameters and there is not one rule to apply. The
conclusion could also be made that body weight could be determined by measuring
the head length of an animal. More research is warranted to obtain more data set
and establish range reference values that can be validated and used with a high
degree of confidence in the lion breeding industry.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-09062010-120804 |
| Date | 06 September 2010 |
| Creators | Erasmus, Heidi Louise |
| Contributors | Prof HO de Waal, Dr LMJ Schwalbach |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-09062010-120804/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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