Levels of hematological parameters of pigs over the fattening period

The study was conducted on 24 pigs. Blood for the hematological tests was collected four times over the fattening period. The examinations showed that the level of hematological indices is an animal age-dependent. Advancing pig age brought about a statistically significant increase of hematocrit, red cell count and blood platelet count. This effect was accompanied by a decline of mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in a red blood cell. A change of place and nutrition made a stressor for the pigs investigated, thus in 11 week of animal age, that is a week following pigs transportation to the fattening house, a drastic change of red cell indices and white blood cells indices was noted. A significant decrease of the level of hemoglobin (HGB), mean cell hemoglobin (MCH) and lymphocytes were observed with a simultaneous increase of neutrophiles (Neu).