120
Composition of the Blood of Farm Animals in India
[1913] found that the average iodine-content of
the healthy thyroid of cattle from June to Novem-
ber was about three times that from December
to May.
In India, especially in the north, there is a
vast difference between the winter minimum and
summer maximum temperatures. At Izatnagar,
the summer maximum reaches 115ºF. and the
winter minimum may be 42ºF.
EXPERIMENTAL
The experimental animals were normal adult
cows of the Hariana breed belonging to the
Izatnagar Dairy-Farm. They were selected
because their blood constituents had remained
constant under various normal physiological
conditions [Mullick and Pal, 1943]. Feeding and
management were under supervision. All had been
immunized against rinderpest and were tuberculin-
negative; they remained in sound health through-
out the observations (November 1941 to October
1942). Since proposed fortnightly examinations
were not possible, analyses were
made
monthly.
Blood samples were taken in the morning before
feeding and at practically the same period even
month. Oxalated blood was analysed for re
cells, white cells, hæmoglobin, cell volume, iron
inorganic phosphorus, sugar and cholesterol
Calcium, magnesium, protein and non-protein
nitrogens were estimated in the serum. Samples
for inorganic phosphorus and sugar were depro
teinized at the spot of bleeding.
METHODS
Cell-volume, cholesterol, protein and non-protein
nitrogens were determined by the methods
Napier and Das Gupta [1941], Banerjee [1937
and Kjeldahl [1883], respectively. The rest
the constituents were analysed according to the
methods described in Part I [Mullick and Pal
1943].
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The average readings of all the animals for
each month are given in Table I, of individual
animals for 12 months and the results of statistical
analysis in Table II.
TABLE I
Seasonal variation in the composition of blood and serum of cows
(Average of 12 animals)
Red cells, millions per c.mm.
blood
White cells, thousands per
c.mm. blood
Hb., gm. per 100 c.c. . .
C. V. per cent . . .
M. C. V. en.µ . . .
M. C. H.
rr
.
.
.
.
M. C. H. C. per cent . .
Iron mg. per cent . . .
Inorganic phosphorus mg. per
cent
Sugar, mg. per cent . .
Cholesterol, mg. per cent .
Calcium, mg. per cent . .
Magnesium, mg. per cent .
Non-protein nitrogen mg. per
cent
Protein gm. per cent . .
1941
Nov.
8.4
9.4
11.1
40.7
48.9
13.4
27.5
40.6
4.35
82.3
146
10.5
2.92
35.9
7.3
Dec.
8.1
9.0
10.8
41.1
50.9
13.4
26.4
39.8
4.61
80.8
144
10.2
2.57
35.4
7.3
1942
Jan.
8.3
8.8
11.1
39.8
47.9
13.3
27.9
40.1
4.72
81.9
139
10.1
2.71
36.0
7.3
Feb.
8.1
9.2
10.9
39.0
48.2
13.3
27.9
39.7
4.53
80.0
143
10.6
2.80
36.1
7.2
Mar.
8.4
9.2
10.5
38.3
45.9
12.6
27.3
38.7
4.51
81.1
144
10.5
2.57
36.4
7.4
Apr.
8.2
9.1
10.0
36.9
45.1
12.3
27.2
39.4
4.81
80.5
144
10.7
2.61
35.6
7.3
May
8.2
9.1
9.9
36.1
43.9
12.0
27.5
38.0
4.37
80.0
137
11.5
2.69
36.5
7.4
June
8.1
9.3
9.8
35.8
44.2
12.2
27.5
38.9
4.46
80.6
135
11.5
2.74
36.5
7.4
July
8.2
9.5
10.1
37.5
45.6
12.3
26.9
39.8
4.43
80.6
138
11.3
2.73
37.7
7.4
Aug.
8.4
9.2
10.4
38.3
45.8
12.5
27.2
40.1
4.31
80.2
141
11.1
2.70
34.4
7.6
Sep.
8.0
9.0
10.8
39.9
49.9
13.4
27.1
39.4
4.50
78.7
139
10.8
2.64
33.4
7.2
Oct.
8.3
9.1
11.5
41.1
50.1
13.9
28.0
42.9
4.53
79.3
136
11.0
2.63
36.4
7.3