Eight hours road transportation and ascorbic acid administration effects on haematological parameters of pigs during the harmattan season

Abstract

Experiment was conducted with the aim of investigating eight hours road transportation and ascorbic acid (AA) administration effects on haematology and serum biochemical parameters of pigs during the harmattan season. Seventeen pigs administered with AA at a dose of 250 mg/kg per os and individually served as experimental animals, and 12 others each administered orally with sterile water served as control animals. The animals were then transported for 8-h at a speed of 40-50 km/h covering a distance of 260 km. Blood samples were taken early in the morning a day before transportation, immediately after and a week after transportation. The leucocyte count dropped in the experimental pigs from 18,686.24 ± 832.51 × 10 3 /µl before the journey to 16,790.00 ± 782.50 × 10 3 /µl immediately after the journey (P > 0.05), while the recorded values in the control pigs before (17,058.33 ± 698.25 × 10 3 /µl) transportation was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the value of 19,420.67 ± 1034.00 × 10 3 /µl obtained after the journey. The neutrophils: lymphocyte ratio obtained in the control animals increased from 0.36 ± 0.04 before transportation to 0.38 ± 0.04 immediately after transportation. Aspartate amino transferase and urea values were significantly different (P < 0.05) in the experimental and control pigs immediately after the journey. This study indicates for the first time the beneficial effect of AA administration on haematology of pigs transported by road during the harmattan season for long journey of 8-h. It is, therefore, recommended that pigs be administered with AA before transportation by road during the harmattan season in order to reduce the risk of adverse effects of transportation stress on health.

The ameliorative effect of ascorbic acid on the oxidative status, live weight and recovery rate in road transport stressed goats in a hot humid tropical environment

“…This is in agreement with earlier studies (Kannan et al 2000;Earley et al 2010) reporting that transport stress induces loss of live weight in goats and bulls respectively. The reduced loss in live weight recorded in group A was in accord with an earlier study (Adenkola et al 2011) reporting administration of AA to pigs reduced the adverse effect of transportation and weight loss. This is further supported with results from group C which lost significant live weight following transportation as compared to groups A and D. The rapid regaining of live weight of group A and B compared to group C also implies that Figure 1 represents the mean MDA activities of the animals in groups A, B, C and D before and following transport up to 240 h post-transport (10 days).…”

“…The significantly higher mean rt of 40°C pt as recorded in group C was more than that reported in other studies (Adenkola et al . ) and this could be linked to the hot humid tropical environment as compared to low ambient temperatures and relative humidity as reported by Adenkola et al . ().…”

“…) and this could be linked to the hot humid tropical environment as compared to low ambient temperatures and relative humidity as reported by Adenkola et al . (). The slower return of the rt of this group to pre‐transport values through day 7 pt as compared to groups A and B also gave more credence to the assertion that AA ameliorated the effect of transport stress on rt.…”

“…This has a direct effect on the hypothalamic thermoregulatory activity; hence by affecting the prostaglandin output, these vitamins may have an ameliorating effect upon stressed animals (Ganong 2001;Sivakumar et al 2010). The significantly higher mean rt of 40°C pt as recorded in group C was more than that reported in other studies (Adenkola et al 2011) and this could be linked to the hot humid tropical environment as compared to low ambient temperatures and relative humidity as reported by Adenkola et al (2011). The slower return of the rt of this group to pre-transport values through day 7 pt as compared to groups A and B also gave more credence to the assertion that AA ameliorated the effect of transport stress on rt.…”

“…The reduced loss in live weight recorded in group A was in accord with an earlier study (Adenkola et al . ) reporting administration of AA to pigs reduced the adverse effect of transportation and weight loss. This is further supported with results from group C which lost significant live weight following transportation as compared to groups A and D. The rapid regaining of live weight of group A and B compared to group C also implies that the administration of AA even after transport reduced the effect of stress and enhance regaining of lost weight.…”