Table 3 Treatment effects on haematological variables pre and post-transport in control and transported (RT and ULT) animals (n = 20 animals/treatment)

Control

13.23 ± 0.17^ax

13.15 ± 0.25^abx

12.95 ± 0.20^abx

12.38 ± 0.26^bx

12.34 ± 0.25^bx

12.24 ± 0.22^bx

11.94 ± 0.26^bx

11.46 ± 0.26^bx

RT

13.14 ± 0.24^ax

12.83 ± 0.25^abx

11.91 ± 0.43^by

12.05 ± 0.20^bx

11.48 ± 0.22^by

10.89 ± 0.22^by

10.89 ± 0.21^by

9.12 ± 0.23^by

ULT

13.56 ± 0.32^ax

12.49 ± 0.27^bx

12.11 ± 0.25^bxy

12.27 ± 0.26^bx

12.01 ± 0.26^bxy

11.41 ± 0.22^by

11.37 ± 0.26^bxy

9.42 ± 0.21^by

Red Blood Cell (RBC) number (×10 ⁶ μL)

Control

10.51 ± 0.18^ax

10.38 ± 0.18^abx

10.05 ± 0.14^bx

9.71 ± 0.16^bx

9.74 ± 0.15^bx

9.69 ± 0.16^bx

9.42 ± 0.19^bx

8.83 ± 0.27^bx

RT

10.90 ± 0.21^axy

11.75 ± 0.22^by

10.93 ± 0.41^abxy

11.10 ± 0.19^aby

10.73 ± 0.24^aby

10.31 ± 0.23^bxy

10.13 ± 0.22^bxy

7.31 ± 0.17^by

ULT

11.28 ± 0.35^ay

11.31 ± 0.25^aby

11.10 ± 0.29^aby

11.35 ± 0.28^aby

11.01 ± 0.30^aby

10.76 ± 0.26^by

10.49 ± 0.30^by

7.55 ± 0.16^by

Mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (g/dL)

Control

33.50 ± 0.15^ax

33.70 ± 0.12^abx

33.80 ± 0.16^abx

33.70 ± 0.16^abx

33.80 ± 0.14^abx

33.50 ± 0.12^abx

33.80 ± 0.17^abx

34.00 ± 0.18^bx

RT

33.50 ± 0.18^ay

37.30 ± 0.20^by

37.10 ± 0.43^by

37.34 ± 0.16^by

36.90 ± 0.26^by

36.90 ± 0.22^by

36.60 ± 0.39^by

32.20 ± 0.24^by

ULT

33.70 ± 0.12^ay

37.30 ± 0.32^by

37.80 ± 0.25^by

37.20 ± 0.20^by

36.80 ± 0.24^by

36.80 ± 0.22^by

37.00 ± 0.30^by

32.50 ± 0.17^by