Buffalo Bulletin (June 2007) Vol.26 No.2 46 HAEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE IN RELATION TO NORMAL PARTURIENT BUFFALOES AND BUFFALOES WITH RETAINED FETAL MEMBRANE A. K. Pandey, S. P. Shukla, S. K. Pandey and Y. K. Sharma ABSTRACT Research Associate, College of Vety.Sc.& A.H., Anjora, Durg, Chhattisgarh (India) The present study was performed in 12 buffaloes, six with retained fetal membrane and six normal parturient buffaloes. Blood samples were taken for estimation of some haematological and biochemical constituents. The total leucocyte count, and eosinophil, monocyte and basophil percent did not vary significantly between buffaloes with retention of fetal membranes and normal parturient buffaloes. Neutrophil (percent) in retention of fetal membrane (RFM) cases was significantly (p<0.01) lower, whereas lymphocyte (percent) in RFM cases was significantly (p<0.01) higher than in the normal parturient buffaloes. The serum total protein in RFM cases did not differ from that in normal parturient buffaloes. The serum calcium and blood glucose levels were significantly (p<0.01) lower, whereas the levels of alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly (p<0.01) higher in RFM cases in comparison to those of normal parturient buffaloes. Keywords: retention of fetal membrane, haematological, biochemical, placenta, parturient buffaloes. INTRODUCTION Retention of fetal membrane is the most important post-partum complication and has a great economic importance in dairy industry. The state of placental maturity and the pathology of the fetal and maternal placenta are considered to be principal factors in retention of the placenta after birth. It may arise out of insufficient uterine contraction, nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance and reproductive diseases (Ray et al., 2004). A judicious and timely use of preventive and corrective measures, mainly with the object to remove the exciting cause could be considered as a rational way to prevent the condition. The present study envisages the changes in total leucocyte count, differential leucocyte count, serum calcium, serum glucose, serum total protein, serum alkaline phosphatase and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in normal parturient buffaloes and buffaloes with retained fetal membrane. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this investigation, twelve buffaloes were included, six of which had not shed their placenta within 10 hours after parturition. For comparative study, six normal parturient buffaloes were taken as a control. Blood samples were collected from each animal 10 hours after parturition with retained fetal membrane before administration of treatment and normal parturient buffaloes. Ten milliliters of blood was collected from the jugular vein of each buffalo. Two milliliters of blood was poured in sterile vials containing anticoagulant (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid @ 2 mg/ml of blood) for haematological studies. The remaining 8 ml of blood was collected in centrifuge tube and allowed to clot. After clotting, samples were transported immediately to the laboratory and centrifuged at 2500 rpm for 10 minutes (Brar et al., 2002). Serum was collected in sterile vials and kept at -20 ° C till biochemical estimations. The total leucocyte count and differential leucocyte count was estimated as per the procedure described by Jain (1986).