ISSN 1313 - 8820Volume 5, Number 4

December 2013

2013

Scope and policy of the journalAgricultural Science and Technology /AST/ – an International Scientific Journal of Agricultural and Technology Sciences is published in English in one volume of 4 issues per year, as a printed journal and in electronic form. The policy of the journal is to publish original papers, reviews and short communications covering the aspects of agriculture related with life sciences and modern technologies. It will offer opportunities to address the global needs relating to food and environment, health, exploit the technology to provide innovative products and sustainable development. Papers will be considered in aspects of both fundamental and applied science in the areas of Genetics and Breeding, Nutrition and Physiology, Production Systems, Agriculture and Environment and Product Quality and Safety. Other categories closely related to the above topics could be considered by the editors. The detailed information of the journal is available at the website. Proceedings of scientific meetings and conference reports will be considered for special issues.

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Editor-in-Chief

Tsanko YablanskiFaculty of AgricultureTrakia University, Stara ZagoraBulgaria

Co-Editor-in-Chief

Radoslav SlavovFaculty of AgricultureTrakia University, Stara ZagoraBulgaria

Editors and Sections

Genetics and Breeding

Atanas Atanasov (Bulgaria)Ihsan Soysal (Turkey)Max Rothschild (USA)Stoicho Metodiev (Bulgaria)

Nutrition and Physiology

Nikolai Todorov (Bulgaria)Peter Surai (UK)Zervas Georgios (Greece)Ivan Varlyakov (Bulgaria)

Production Systems

Dimitar Pavlov (Bulgaria)Dimitar Panaiotov (Bulgaria)Banko Banev (Bulgaria)Georgy Zhelyazkov (Bulgaria)

Agriculture and Environment

Georgi Petkov (Bulgaria)Ramesh Kanwar (USA)

Product Quality and Safety

Marin Kabakchiev (Bulgaria)Stefan Denev (Bulgaria)Vasil Atanasov (Bulgaria)

English Editor

Yanka Ivanova (Bulgaria)

2013

ISSN 1313 - 8820 Volume 5, Number 4December 2013

Comparative study of some biochemical indicators in Karakachan and Copper-Red Shumen sheep breeds

1 2 1 1 3 3G. Angelov *, I.Dimitrova , T. Mehmedov , P. Stamberov , N. Stancheva , S. Georgieva4, Zh. Nakev

1Department of Internal Deseases and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Forestry, 10 Kliment Ohridski, 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria2Department of Genetic and Selection, Agronomy Faculty, University of Forestry, 10 Kliment. Ohridski, 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria 3Agricultural Institut, 3 Simeon Veliki, 9700 Shumen, Bulgaria4Department of Genetic Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

Abstract. The survey covers 140 clinically healthy sheep from two indigenous sheep breeds – Karakachan (KK)and Copper-Red Shumen (CRS) over one year old. Blood samples are taken from v. jugularis, and using a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer were determined in serum levels of blood sugar, total serum protein and albumin, creatinine, urea, calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium. The results obtained indicated that the levels of total protein (75.81±7.03 for KK and 72.19±5.64 for CRS), albumin (44.85±6.43 for KK and 42.09±4.06 for CRS), creatinine (183.35±291.77 for KK and 128.30±45.70 for CRS) and urea (9.30±3.90 for KK and 11.10±5.76 for CRS) in Karakachan breed are poorly higher than those of the Copper - Red Shumen. The values of blood sugar (2.89±0.49 for KK and 2.49±0.57 for CRS), calcium (2.30±0.41 for KK and 2.22±0.33 for CRS), inorganic phosphorus (1.94±0.64 for KK and 1.94±0.44 for CRS) and magnesium (1.23±0.29 for KK and 1.14±0.20 for CRS) showed no breed differences. The significant differences between the two breeds were obtained only in value of both creatinine and blood sugar.

Keywords: local sheeps breed, serum blood sugar, protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium.

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 5, No 4, pp , 2013391 - 393

Introduction Bickhardt et al. (1999) found differences in some biochemical parameters according to age, sex and body weight. Literature on the normal range of some of the most commonly studied biochemical Over the past 15–20 years livestock in Bulgaria was in deep parameters in sheep showed considerable variability, which hinders crisis. Accession of our country to the European Union has created their precise clinical interpretation (Boyd, 1988; Alonso et al., 1997; favorable conditions for the positive development of this sector and Kaneko et al., 1997; Borjesson et al., 2000; Kerr, 2002; Braun et al., in particular sheep breeding, which has emerged as one of the 2010). Too insufficient are data in scientific literature on the priority sub-sectors in Bulgarian animal production. The interest in variability of some biochemical parameters in Bulgarian local the production of a variety of quality products from sheep was raised. indigenous breeds whose populations in recent years has increased Efforts have been made to increase the populations targeted by the (Binev et al., 2008; Todorova et al., 2010). This requires their more local indigenous breeds which together with usual grown modern comprehensive and thorough study that engendered this study. breed in the country extended breed diversity of the species (Dimov

Aim of this investigation was to perform a comparative study on et al., 2011). All this objectively necessary in the field of veterinary some of the most frequently investigated laboratory practices clinical practice to broaden and deepen our knowledge of some biochemical parameters of two local Bulgarian indigenous sheep routine laboratory parameters investigated in the sheep. This will breeds – Karakachan and Copper-Red Shumen, which would allow not only to respond adequately to the problems arising in the improve their informational value and clinical interpretation. intensive rearing of these animals, but also to ensure the best health

for the purpose of obtaining more and better products. It is known that changes in some biochemical parameters in one degree or

Material and methodsanother are an early manifestation or accompany the many diseases in domestic animals. Therefore, on the one hand they are a source of information about the early stages of the disease process, and on The studies were carried out on 140 clinically healthy sheep of the other, significantly affect manifestations, course, therapeutic indigenous local breeds Karakachan (n=70) and Copper-Red efficacy and outcome of primary disease (Martin et al., 2000; Shumen (n=70) aged over one year grown in the base of the State Hindson et al.,2002; Smith et al., 2009). farm "Kabiuk" – Shumen. Three times through week, we took blood

Information value of individual performance in different types samples from v. jugularis for determination of serum blood sugar, and breeds of animals is one of the prerequisites for proper total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, calcium, inorganic evaluation and interpretation of the results (Kaneko et al., 1997; phosphorus, magnesium. Plasma calcium, inorganic phosphate and Bertoni, 1999; Push, 2002). Many authors have studied the magnesium concentrations are influenced by food supply (Braun et biochemical profile in sheep serum in normal and in various al., 2010). Similar feeding type gives the similar level of these three diseases (Boyd, 1988; Garry et al., 1990; Gurzhav, 1968; Hindson, parameters.et al., 2002; Kerr, 2002). In breeds with different productive direction Blood samples were taken in vakueti of serum with gel-Claude

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* e-mail: gen_angelov@mail.bg

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activator and assayed by ready tests on company Human, using a phosphorus and magnesium in both breeds vary within the normal semi-automatic biochemical analyzer Screen master LIHD-113, range for the species. In the Karakachanian breed values obtained manufactured by the German company Hospital Diagnostic. All for the calcium are 2.3 ± 0.41 mmol/l, for phosphorus – 1.9 ± 0.64 results obtained were processed statistically with variance-software mmol/l and for magnesium – 1.2 ± 0.29 mmol/l, and for Copper Red program Anova. Shumen, respectively 2.2 ± 0.33 mmol/l of the calcium, 1.94 ± 0.44

mmol/l for phosphorus and 1.1 ± 0.14 mmol/l of magnesium.Minor differences found in the range of reference values for

species in serum albumin, total protein and urea. In the Karakachan Results and discussionbreed were found concentrations of 75.8 ± 7.03 g/l of total protein, 44.8 ± 6.43 g/l of albumin and 9.3 ± 3.90 mmol/l of urea. In the breed The obtained results for the investigated biochemical Copper Red Shumen values are respectively 72.19 ± 5.64 g/l of total parameters are shown in Table 1. The serum levels of calcium,

Table 1. Biochemical parameters in sheep breeds Karakachan and Copper-Red Shumen

* – Р< 0.05

Biochemical parameters

Serum blood sugar *, mmol/l

Total protein, g/l

Albumin, g/l

Urea, mmol/l

Creatinine *, µmol/l

Calcium, mmol/l

Phosphorus, mmol/l

Magnesium, mmol/l

2.8958 ± 0.4950

75.8113 ± 7.0358

44.8592 ± 6.4356

9.3028 ± 3.9076

183.3563 ± 29.1776

2.3085 ± 0.4115

1.9489 ± 0.6494

1.2341 ± 0.2955

Karakachan,Mean ± SD

2.4970 ± 0.5732

72.1943 ± 5.6441

42.0986 ± 4.0669

11.1086 ± 5.7627

128.3057 ± 45.7080

2.2257 ± 0.3300

1.9429 ± 0.4405

1.1457 ± 0.2055

Copper-Red Shumen,Mean ± SD

protein, 42.0 ± 4.06 g/l of albumin and 11.1 ± 5.78 mmol/l of urea. different authors of albumin value could be related to the fact that the Results of urea in this study are closed to data reported by Piccione genetically conditioned mechanisms of protein metabolism closely et al. (2009) which were investigated different biochemical correlated with different productive direction of sheep (Kaneko et al., parameters in Comisana ewes in different physiological stages. 1997; Hindson et al., 2002; Kerr, 2002). This is probably one of the

Blood glucose concentration in both breeds varies between reasons the results of creatinine in the Karakachan breed to be 2.49 – 2.,89 mmol/l and even though it is within the normal range for higher as compared with Copper-Red Shumen and those quoted by the species in the Karakachan breed its values (2.89 ± 0.49 mmol/l) other authors.were significantly higher than those of Copper- Red Shumen (2.49 ± 0.57 mmol/l). The results obtained in this study were lower than these of Kiran et al. (2012) in Southern Punjab sheep. The same

Conclusionauthors show that the difference in blood glucose concentration depend of levels of nutrition and the metabolic activity of individual

There are no breed differences in serum glucose, total protein, animal. Similar differences were found with regard creatinine level albumin, urea, calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium where in the Karakachan breed registered significantly higher between sheep breeds Karakachan and Copper-Red Shumen. In concentrations (183.3 ± 55.77 μmol/l) compared with those in the the Karakachan breed there is a higher level of serum creatinine Copper-Red Shumen (128.3 ± 45.70 μmol/l).than in the Copper-Red Shumen breed.Analysis of the results showed that all tested parameters in two

indigenous breeds vary in generally accepted normal range for the species. However, in terms of blood glucose and creatinine in Acknowledgmentspecies boundaries was detected statistically significant differences in the background of the uniform conditions of feeding and raising Research was part of the project Б 01/22 от 05.12.2012г. animals, which are probably related to the specifics of each of the (2012-2014) "Development of DNA markers (CAST, MSTN) for breeds, both in terms of their body mass, and productivity and fattening ability and meat quality in Synthetic Population Bulgarian purpose. Our results for total protein, glucose, calcium, phosphorus Milk, Karakachan and Copper-Red Shumen sheep breeds" and magnesium are consistent with those cited by Kaneko et al. financed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Science, Republic (1997); Borjesson et al.(2000), Kerr (2002) and Push (2002), who of Bulgaria.have studied various breeds thin-fleece sheep. The amounts of albumin in both indigenous breeds are slightly higher than those cited by Alonso et al.(1997), Sivkova et al. (2004) and similar to those Referencesof Binev et al. (2008), who conducted research on the Thracian merino breed sheep and Synthetic Population Bulgarian Milk. In Alonso AJ, De Teresa R, Garcia M, Gonzales JR and Vallejo M, normal conditions, albumin variations are affected by numerous 1997. The effects of age reproductive status on serum and blood factors such as heat haemoconcentration that can take to an parameters in merino breed sheep. Zentralblat Veterinarmedizin, A, increase of its value (Braun et al. 2010). This distinction between

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rdBorjesson DL, Christopher MM and Boyce WM, 2000. Martin WB and Aitken LD, 2000. Diseases of Sheep, 3 edn., Biochemical and hematological reference intervals for free-ranging Blackwell Scientific Publication Ltd, Oxford.desert bighorn sheep. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 36, 2, 294-300. Piccione G, Caola G, Giannetto C, Grasso F, Runzo SC, Zumbo A Braun, JP, Trumel C and Bezille P, 2010. Clinical biochemistry in and Pennisi P, 2009. Selected biochemical serum parameters in sheep: A selected review. Small Ruminant Research, 92, 10-18. ewes during pregnancy, post-parturition, lactation and dry period. Dimov D and Angelov J, 2011. Information system for monitoring Animal Science Papers and Reports, 27, 321-330.and management of sheep genetic resources. Agricultural Push DG, 2002. Sheep and Goat Medicine, First edition, The Curtis Sciences, III, 6, 31-39, Plovdiv. Center, Philadelphia, USA.Garry F, Chew DJ, Rings DM, Tarr MJ and Hoffsis GF, 1990. Sivkova K, Radev V, Todorova P, Todorov M and Enev E, 2004. Renal excretion of creatinine, electrolytes, protein, and enzymes in Effect of the multienzyme protozin-A on the level of some healthy sheep. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 51, 414. hematological parameters of sheep. Trakia Journal of Sciences, 2, Gurzhav K and Shipirov VS, 1968. Changes in hematologic and 2, 31-34 (Bg) .biochemical indices of the blood serum in pregnant sheep. Smith MC and Sherman D, 2009. Goat Medicine, 2 nd ed., Wiley-Veterinaria, 45, 89-91. Blackwell Publishing.Hindson JC and Winter A, 2002. Manual of Sheep Diseases, 2 nd Todorova P, Odzhakova T and Kafedzhiev K, 2010. Effect of ed., by Blackwell Science Ltd. supplement of selenium and iodine on biochemical status of sheep. Kiran S, Bhutta AM, Khan BA, Durrani S, Ali M, Ali M. and Iqbal F, Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry, 26, 5-6, 347-352 (Bg).

Genetics and Breeding

Nutrition and Physiology

Investigation on the possibility to efficiently use Ukrainian cultivars for developing of early winter wheat linesI. Grain productivityN. Tsenov, T. Petrova, E. Tsenova

Combinig ability for grain yield of late maize linesN. Petrovska

Use of recurrent selection in middle late synthetic maize populationI. Results of the first cycle in synthetic “1/2005”N. Petrovska, V. Valkova

Genetic diversity and distance between two Bulgarian local sheep breeds assessed by microsatellite markersS. Georgieva, E. Todorovska, D. Hristova, I. Dimitrova, N. Stancheva, Ts. Yablanski

Testing of new Bulgarian sunflower hybrids under the conditions of North-East BulgariaI. Productivity and traits related to productivityG. Georgiev, P. Peevska, E. Penchev

Comparative morphological study of new Burley tobacco linesT. Radoukova, Y.Dyulgerski

Effect of genotypic and environmental factors on the inheritance of the main characters in chickpea and relationships between themR. Sturzu, T. Nistot, Cr. Melucă, Fl. Bodescu, A. Stoilova

Evaluation of double haploid lines of winter malting barley using selection indicesB. Dyulgerova, D. Valcheva

Evaluation of the combining ability of grain yield of mutant maize lines M. Ilchovska

Comparative study of some biochemical indicators in Karakachan and Copper-Red Shumen sheep breedsG. Angelov, I.Dimitrova, T. Mehmedov, P. Stamberov, N. Stancheva, S. Georgieva, Zh. Nakev

Impaired pancreatic function in mulard ducks with experimental aflatoxicosis I. Valchev, N. Grozeva, D. Kanakov, Ts. Hristov, L. Lazarov, R. Binev, Y. Nikolov

Comparative investigations on feeding efficiency in growing and fattening DanBred and Topigs hybrid pigsG. Ganchev, A. Ilchev

Blood parameters in yearling sheep fed Paulownia (Paulownia spp.) leavesI. Varlyakov, V. Radev, T. Slavov, G. Ganchev

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Changes in some blood parameters in yearling rams fed diets with different protein and lipid levelsV. Radev, T. Slavov, I. Varlyakov

Effect of the sowing norm and nitrogen fertilization on the yield from dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar Beslet G. Milev

Evapotranspiration of corn crop for silageR. Bazitov, A. Stoyanova

Productivity and economic traits of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus var. biennis) under the conditions of DobrudzhaG. Georgiev, G. Georgiev, P. Chamurliyski

Feasibility of the use of heat energy from alternative sources for air conditioning in sows facilityK. Peichev, R. Georgiev

Productivity of green beans, irrigated at different pre-irrigation soil moistureR. Petrova, A. Matev, K. Koumanov, B. Harizanova-Petrova

Comparative assessment of plant resources as substrates for bioshlam productionZ. Shindarska, V. Kirov, G. Kostadinova, B. Baykov

The influence of organic carbon on bioremediation process of wastewater originate from aquaculture with use of microalgae from genera Botryococcus and Scenedesmus I. Sirakov, K. Velichkova, G. Beev, Y. Staykov

Sanitary hygienic assessment of drinking water from underground source at a pig farmG. Kostadinova

Study of bee honey by spectral analysis in the near infrared spectrumI. Zhelyazkova, S. Atanasova , K. Elencheva – Karaneycheva

Comparative GC/MS analysis of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) inflorescence and essential oil volatilesT. Zagorcheva, S. Stanev, K. Rusanov, I. Atanassov

Influence of key factors on the time of initial coagulation of cow's milk using milk-clotting enzyme of camel originP. Panayotov, K. Yoanidu, P. Boyanova, B. Milenkov

Production Systems

Agriculture and Environment

Product Quality and Safety

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thmance in dairy cows,IX International Conference on Production Diseases in Farm Animals, Sept.11 – 14, Berlin, Germany, p. 302 (Abstr.).Thesis:Penkov D, 2008. Estimation of metabolic energy and true digestibility of amino acids of some feeds in experiments with muscus duck (Carina moshata, L). Thesis for DSc. Agrarian University, Plovdiv, 314 pp.

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Volume 5, Number 4December 2013