Haematological and Blood Biochemistry values of cultured Heterobranchus longifilis in Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the haematological and blood biochemistry profile of apparently healthy catfish (Heterobranchus  longifilis) raised in concrete ponds in South East, Nigeria. A total of 20 fishes of two age ranges and equal sexes were used and determination of haematological and blood biochemical profile followed standard procedures. Results obtained for the parameters assessed for the young adults and adults respectively are summarized as follows: Packed cell volume - 29.67 ± 0.73% and 33.00 ± 0.87%, haemoglobin concentration - 10.26 ± 0.45 g/dl and 11.04 ± 0.32 g/dl, red blood cell count – 2.46 ± 0.04 x 10⁶/μl and 2.39 ± 0.04 x 10⁶/μl, mean corpuscular volume-120.68 ± 3.61 fl and 141.42 ± 2.83 fl, mean corpuscular haemoglobin – 41.97 ± 1.16 pg and 45.69 ± 1.15 pg, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration - 35.75 ± 1.63 g/dl and 32.93 ± 0.86 g/dl, white blood cell count - 17.94 ± 0.57 x 10³/μl and 22.51 ± 0.95 x 10³/μl, alanine amino transferase - 36.95 ± 0.09 IU and 38.86 ± 0.16 IU, aspartate amino transferase - 54.52 ± 0.10 IU and 49.55 ± 0.34 IU, alkaline phosphatase -5.04 ± 0.71 IU and 9.33 ± 0.55 IU, total proteins – 1.98 ± 0.09 g/dl and 3.86 ± 0.10 g/dl, albumin - 0.90 ± 0.01 g/dl and 1.53 ± 0.06 g/dl, globulin – 1.07 ± 0.09 g/dl and 2.40 ± 0.08 g/dl, plasma blood glucose – 136.25 ± 11.74 mg/dl and 171.67 ± 9.05 mg/dl, total cholesterol – 79.89 ± 2.72 mg/dl and 156.52 ± 5.69 mg/dl, calcium – 4.28 ± 0.32 mg/dl and 11.68 ± 0.71 mg/dl, blood urea nitrogen – 1.48 ± 0.24 mg/dl and 1.19 ± 0.12 mg/dl, body weight – 308.89 ± 22.26g and 666.67 ± 39.97g. Results obtained showed significant (p<0.05) changes due to age in all the parameters assessed except haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and blood urea nitrogen. There were no  significant changes (p>0.05) between the sexes in all the haematological and blood biochemistry parameters assessed. Data generated from this study was considered important as deviations in the normal haematology and serum biochemistry have a predictive value for general pathological and specific organ changes in the body.

Keywords: Catfish, Heterobranchus longifilis, Haematology, Blood biochemistry, Southeastern
Nigeria