Volume 13, Issue 1: 2023 - Article 2

Abstract:
This study investigated haematological alterations in laying hens experimentally infected with Salmonella gallinarum, and how these alterations relate to drop in egg production in the laying hens. Fifty laying hens (25 infected orally with wild type S. gallinarum and 25 uninfected controls) were used for the study. Haematological parameters were assayed following standard procedures. The packed cell volume of the infected hens was significantly (p < 0.05) lower on days 7 and 14 post infection (PI), while the haemoglobin concentration was significantly (p < 0.05) lower on days 7, 14 and 21 PI, when compared to the uninfected control. The red blood cell (RBC) counts were also significantly (p < 0.05) lower on days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 PI in the infected hens when compared to the uninfected controls. The total white blood cell (TWBC) counts of the infected hens were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of the uninfected controls on days 7, 14, 21 and 35 PI, while the heterophil counts were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the infected hens on days 7, 14 and 21 PI, and the lymphocyte counts were also significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the infected hens on days 7, 28 and 35 PI when compared to the uninfected control. The weekly mean percentage egg production in the infected hens was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of the uninfected control on weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4 PI. Red blood cell counts correlated strongly, positively and significantly (r = 0.61; p < 0.01) with egg production, while the relationship between TWBC counts and egg production (r = - 0.64; p < 0.01) was strong, negative and significant. It was concluded that haematological parameters were significantly altered in S. gallinarum infected laying hens, and that some of the haematological parameters strongly correlated with egg production.

Keywords: Laying hens, Fowl typhoid, Salmonella gallinarum; Haematology; Relationship; Egg production.

How to cite this article:
Okafor SC, Ihedioha JI and Ezema WS (2023) Haematological alterations in laying hens infected with Salmonella gallinarum, and their relationship to egg production. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 13(1): 109 – 117.

*Correspondence: E-mail:  simeon.okafor@unn.edu.ng   Phone: +2348035061920

Haematological alterations in laying hens infected with Salmonella gallinarum
and their relationship to egg production

Simeon C. Okafor*, John I. Ihedioha and Wilfred S. Ezema
Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410002, Enugu State, Nigeria.

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