A Study on Clinical Hematology of Korean Cattle Resident in High-land

고지사육한우(高地飼育韓牛)의 임상혈액학적연구(臨床血液學的硏究)

In order to evaluate the epizootiological influence of high-land on cattle feeding, routine hematological observation, with additional examinations of feces and general clinical condition, was conducted comparing the high-land cows resident at altitude of 800 to 1,200 meters in Daegwanryeong to the low-land cows resident at altitudes of less than 100 meters in Samcheok and Gangneung. The high-land cows were divided into 3 groups such as group A, B and C, consisting of 15, 16 and 20 adult cows respectively, and among the 3 groups only group C was exposed to abrupt high-land cold before observation. The low-land cows, that is group D, were consisted of 25 adult cows. The results obtained in the survey were summarized as follows: 1. Number of erythrocytes, concentration of hemoglobin and packed cell volume were remarkably higher (p<0.01) in all of 3 groups (group A, B and C) of high-land cows than trios of low-land cows (group D). These higher values in high-land cows were ascribable to the better feeding and hygienic management, and lesser infestation of small-type Piroplasma (Theileria) and internal parasites in contrast with the low-land cows. 2. Remarkably higher value of mean corpuscular volume (p<0.01) and a tendency to lower value of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were noted in group D in contrast with group A, B and C. The reason was attributed to the higher infestation (p<0.01) of smalltype piroplasma in low-land cows in contrast with high-land cows. 3. It was noticiable that even though lesser infestation of small type Piroplama in the highland cows was shown, a natural case of clinical small-type-piroplasmosis was found in high-land group B as well as a case in the low-land group D. The blood Pattern showed characteristic macrocytic-hypochromic-anemia with increased reticulocytes in both two cases (Table 7). 4. In the observation of leukocytic series, marked increase of eosinophils in group D was seen in accordance with heavy infestation of gastrointestinal nematodes, and increased neutrophils with higher appearance of nonlobulated form and eosinopenia in group C only was observed suggesting the leukocytic response to the cold exposure in high-land. 5. Mean values of thrombocytes in group A,B,C and D were 48.4, 40.7, 42.7 and $32.3{\times}10^4/mm^3$ respcetively, and no statistically significant differences were observed.