ABSTRACT

 A comparative evaluation of the haematological values of two Nig :ian indigenous goats were carried out in humid south eastern Nigeria and vas determined in thirty (30) goats, made up of fifteen (15) West African Dwarf (AD) and fifteen (15) Red Sokoto (RS) Goats. Each breed comprise I of four (4) adult females, four (4) young females, four (4) adult males and iree young male. The goats were bled through the jugular vein and 3m1s of blood samples was collected into plastic tube containing EDTA for haematolo1 ical stidies. The following haernatological parameter were evaluated using a student T — test. The mean value for haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell vol irie (XCV), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cell (WBC). red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpust ilar 1-i einoglobin concentration (MC HC), mean corpuscular haemogl bin (N.4CH) were 7.92 arid '7.23g/dl, 23.60 and 2 1.67%, 0.09 and 0.066mm, .78 and 1.57x103ii1, 5.39 and 5.29 x106 il, 45.93 and 43.55.im3, 33.24 and 3 31%, 15.32 and 14. 52pg for Red Sokoto and West African Dwarf C )ats respectively. The mean haematologica! values were not signific itly different (p > 0.05) among the two breeds, but higher in Red Sokoto G ats. }lDwever, the mean haematological values for both goat breeds reared i the south eastern Nigeria were Haemoglobin (Hb) 7.57 gldi, packed cell vol me (PCV) 22.63%, white blood cell (WBC) 1 .67 x I 03m1, erythrocyte sedii tent rtc (ESR) 0.O8, red blood cell (RBC) 5.34 x lO61l, mean corpus( ilar volume (MCV) 44,74irn3, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentr ion (i4CHC) 33.27%, mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) 14. 92pg. Phe incinatological values for male and female, young and adult goats of the 'wo breeds were similar (P>0.05). The white blood cell differential CoLnts (WDC) percentage distribution of Leukocytes were similar (P>0.05) in oth b :'eds of goats, in young and adult and in make and female goats. T ese could serve as a baseline data for comparison of goats breeds in an ar i to dttermine adaptability f this goats to the area where they are indigeno ; or In iioduced.