Seasonal variations in the blood concentration of selected heavy metals in sheep and their effects on the biochemical and hematological parameters.
The main objective of this study was to assess the concentration of various heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Hg) in the blood of sheep, followed by biochemical and hematological analysis in order to reveal possible associations. Blood was collected in two different seasons: winter (fed by fodder) and spring (grazing animals). The higher concentrations of Pb (p < 0.01), Cu (p < 0.05) and Hg, but lower of Cd and Zn were found in spring. Evaluation of the biochemical and hematological parameters during different seasons showed a possible environmental effect on the health of animals. A statistically significant increase of Ca (p < 0.001), Mg (p < 0.05), urea (p < 0.001), TP (p < 0.05), glucose (p < 0.01), AST (p < 0.001), ALT (p < 0.001), ALP (p < 0.01), cholesterol (p < 0.001), bilirubin (p < 0.05), triglycerides (p < 0.001) and a decrease of P (p < 0.05), HGB (p < 0.05), MCHC (p < 0.05) and RDWc (p < 0.05) in spring was detected. The results of this study showed statistically significant correlations between Pb and ALP (r = 0.53) level in winter and between Pb and Ca (r = -0.73) in the spring. The hematological analysis revealed a significant correlation between Zn and RBC (r = 0.61), MCV (r = -0.74), MCH (r = -0.71) and between Pb and MCH (r = -0.55), PCT (r = -0.66), PDWC (r = -0.55) in the winter. A high positive significant correlations were found between Cd and RDWC (r = 0.77) and Cu and RDWC (r = 0.75). The significance of this work is the use the data in the preventive diagnosis of metabolic and production diseases. The collected data may serve as a control indicator to detect toxic hazards related to the heavy metal occurrence on animal health status.
Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: anton.kovacik@yahoo.com.
Anton
A
Kovacik
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: julius.arvay@gmail.com.
Julius
J
Arvay
AgroBioTech Research Centre, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: tusimova.eva@gmail.com.
Eva
E
Tusimova
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: lubos.harangozo@uniag.sk.
Lubos
L
Harangozo
Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: evina.tvrda@gmail.com.
Eva
E
Tvrda
Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: zbynovska.katarina@gmail.com.
Katarina
K
Zbynovska
Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: peter.cupka@uniag.sk.
Peter
P
Cupka
Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Care, University of Presov, 17th November Street 15, 08001 Presov, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: stefania.andrascikova@unipo.sk.
Stefania
S
Andrascikova
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: jan.tomas@uniag.sk.
Jan
J
Tomas
Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976 Nitra, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: massanyip@gmail.com.
Peter
P
Massanyi
D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood*; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood*; D018154:Slovakia; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014280:Triglycerides; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D014508:Urea; D002784:Cholesterol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000409:Alanine; D001663:Bilirubin
Biochemistry; Biomonitoring; Ecotoxicology; Hematology; Metals; Sheep; Xenobiotics