148
Composition of Blood of Farm Animals in India
Iron. The results for iron gave average values of
49.1 and 39.6 mg. per 100 ml. of blood for young
and adult animals, respectively. The values
obtained by 6ther workers, viz. McCay [1931],
Hammersma [1937] and Gonzaga [1939] are in
agreement.
Calcium. The average values were 13.0 and
11.2 mg. per 100 ml. serum for growing and adult
animals, respectively. Anderson, Gayley and
Pratt [1930] recorded higher values in growing
animals and this is confirmed by our observations.
The figures for adult animals were in full agree-
ment with the results obtained by these and other
authors, viz. Blatherwick [1920], Robinson and
Huffman [1926], Hayden and Fish [1928], Allardyce,
Fleming, Fowler and Clark [1930], Hambrock
[1931], Allcroft and Green [1934], Hammersma
[1937], Dukes [1937], Kennedy, Anderson, Bech-
del and Shighey [1939] and Ochoa [1940].
Phosphorus. The average values for inorganic
phosphorus per 100 ml. of blood were 5.92 and
4.26 mg. for young and adult animals, respectively.
The values for growing animals agreed closely with
those obtained by other workers, viz. Palmer,
Cunningham, Eckles [1930], Malan, Bekker and
Johnson [1935] and Johnson [1939] while for adults
practically the same values were noted by the fol-
lowing observers : Hart, Steenbock and Humphrey
[1920], Theiler, Green and Du Toit [1927], Ander-
son et al. [1930], Becker, Neal and Shealy [1933]
and Johnson [1939].
Meighs, Blatherwick and Cary [1919], Robinson
and Huffman [1926], Malan and Bekker [1931],
Kennedy et al. [1939], Johnson [1939], Sen, Kehar
and Govinda Rao (unpublished data) concluded
that pregnancy and lactation had little effect on
the calcium and phosphorus content of blood.
Magnesium. The average values in 100 ml.
serum were 2.46 and 2.51 mg. for young and adult
animals, respectively. Our findings for young
animals agreed well with those of Duncan and
Huffman [1938]. The figures for adult animals of
Briggs [1923], Robinson and Huffman [1926] and
Groenewald [1935] are practically the same as those
obtained by us.
Sugar. The results for sugar gave an average
value of 99.9 and 77.7 mg. per 100 ml. of blood
for young and adult animals, respectively. The
sugar content gradually diminished with increasing
age. The same observation was reported by
Anderson et al. [1930], Demmel [1933], Allcroft and
Green [1934] while Hodgson, Riddel and Huges
[1932] and Kennedy et al. [1939] reported similar
values for adult animals.
As regards breed characteristics, blood was ana-
-ysed from two different breeds (Hissar and Dhanni)
The analytical figures for the inorganic elements
showed some variation ; though the type of work,
feed and environment were identical, the blood
composition of the two breeds appeared to be
different. This finding opens up a new line of in-
vestigation and a systematic study will have to be
undertaken with a larger number of animals, in
order to investigate the differences in blood com-
position of animals of various breeds in India.
Statistical analysis. From a statistical analysis
of the data, the following conclusions appear to be
warranted. In the case of growing animals, highly
significant differences exist between the means of
the groups 0-6 months, 6-12 months and 12-24
months in red blood corpuscles, white blood cor-
puscles, haemoglobin, iron, phosphorus and sugar.
With adults, there is no significant difference be-
tween the means of the groups in any of the consti-
tuents analysed.
SUMMARY
The blood of young and adult healthy cattle of
different groups was analysed for red blood cor-
puscles, white blood corpuscles, haemoglobin, iron,
calcium, magnesium, inorganic phosphorus and
sugar. Standard figures for these elements were
established under various age, sex, and physiolo-
gical conditions.
Blood from two different breeds (Hissar and
Dhanni) has been examined and some breed differ-
ences have been noticed.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The writers express their gratitude to Dr K. C.
Sen, Officer-in-Charge and Dr N. D. Kehar, Re-
search Officer (Physiology) of this section for their
keen interest in the work and for their valuable
suggestions. The authors are also indebted to
Mr S. R. Hassan, Officer-in-Charge, Biological
Products Section, for his help and for facilities for
work among the animals of the section.
REFERENCES
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Becker, R. B., Neal, W. M. and Shealy, A. L. (1933).
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Briggs, H. P. (1923). J. Biol. Chem. 57, 351
Brooks, H. J. and Huggs, H. S. (1932). J. Nutrition, 5,
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