title: Haematological parameters of the otrich (Struthio camelus).
abstract: Haematological reference values according to age and sex, were obtained from healthy ostriches (Struthio camelus) held under intensive conditions. Erythrocytic parameters and indices demonstrated an age-related trend: the packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and erythrocyte count were lowest in ostriches of 1 to 3 months of age. The mean corpuscular volume increased with age until adulthood. No sex-linked differences were demonstrated in regard to the erythrocytic parameters. Leukocyte counts were higher in younger ostriches; changes also being detected in the differential count with age. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was both sex- and age-related. Young birds had the fastest rate of sedimentation and females had a faster rate than males.
authors.affiliation: Corob Center for Medical Research, Ben Gurion University, Negev, Beersheva, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perelman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Waner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Grevenbroek
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Creveld
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yagil