Correlation Between Biochemical and Haematological Parameters of Sheep

Correlations among blood biochemistry and haematological parameters of sheep in Bauchi, Nigeria were assessed between February and September, 2017. Blood samples were collected from one hundred and twenty sheep comprising Yankasa, Balami, Ouda (32 per each breed) and West African Dwarf (24) at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching and Research Farm, Muda Lawal, Durum and Gwallaga markets. The samples were analyzed for both haematological and biochemical parameters. White blood cell (WBC) and RBC (0.210), RBC and HB (0.569), MCV and MCH (0.539) and MCH and NTP (0.346) were positive and significant. Furthermore, others such as between WBC and HB (-0.215), MCV and PLT (-0.223), MCV and MCHC (-0.610) and LYM % and NTP (-0.571) were negative and significant. Correlations among biochemical parameters were in general positive, low to moderate and non-significant. A few such as between Na+ and Cl- (0.379), HCO3- and CRT (0.264), TP and GLC (0.267), Cl- and TP (0.239), CRT and AST (0.182) and UR and ALT (0.405) were positive and significant. In addition, some correlation values namely; between ALB and ALT (-3.93), ALB and GLC (-264), Na+ and ALB (-235) and ALB and AST (-0.211) were negative and significant. The correlation coefficients between haematalogical and biochemical parameters were generally positive, low to moderate and non- significant. A few such as between Na+ and HB (0.239), K+ and HB (0.192), UR and LYM (0.248), TP and LYM (0.385), ALB and MCV (0.182), AST and RCD (0.219), ALT and MCHC (0.242), GLC and LYM (0.267), TC and MCHC (0.212) and WBC and LYM (0.433) were positive and significant. Furthermore, some correlation coefficients namely; between Cl- and MCHC (-0.256), TP and NTP (-0.185), ALT and LYM (-0.199), GLC and MCV (-0.249), TP and NTP (-0.185), ALT and LYM (-0.199), GLC and MCV (-0.249), TC and MCV (-0.185), AP and HCT (-0.207) and WBC and NTP (-0.237) were negative and significant. Therefore, there were generally positive but low to moderate correlations among haematologic, biochemical; and between haematogical and biochemical parameters. The high correlations between parameters could be used as indicators between them to reduce the need to estimate both. The blood parameters needed to be monitored frequently and appropriately controlled to ensure stability and adequate health and nutritional status of sheep.