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Table 2 Effect of weaning stress on leukocytes, red blood cell number (RBC), neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio, and hemoglobin concentration (HGB)

From: An intensive milk replacer feeding program benefits immune response and intestinal microbiota of lambs during weaning

Variable

 

Days post weaning1

  

P-values3

Group

0

1

2

3

7

14

21

SEM

T2

S

T × S

Total leukocytes (× 109cells/L)

C

8.56

10.58c

9.76a

9.28

9.39

9.18

8.61

0.18

NS

**

NS

 

H

8.42

9.52a

8.94

9.09

9.25

9.07

8.90

0.14

Lymphocytes (×109 cells/L)

C

3.44

4.12

3.68

3.95

4.44a

4.50a

3.80

0.13

NS

*

NS

 

H

3.57

3.87

4.21

3.97

4.58a

4.08

3.66

0.12

Neutrophils (×109 cells/L)

C

3.68

5.14c,x

4.62a,x

4.06

4.37

3.69

3.26

0.14

NS

**

0.026

 

H

3.39

3.97y

3.71y

4.21a

3.72

3.96

3.81

0.10

N:L ratio

C

1.07

1.32

1.31x

1.04

1.00

0.83

0.90

0.05

NS

NS

NS

 

H

0.99

1.06

0.94y

1.14

0.86

1.01

1.17

0.04

RBC (× 1012 cells/L)

C

8.20

8.27

7.96x

7.93x

7.95x

8.20x

8.49

0.07

***

***

***

 

H

8.09

8.66b

8.85c,y

8.85c,y

8.55a,y

8.66b,y

9.81c,y

0.08

HGB (g/L)

C

114.09

115.96x

108.59x

107.96x

103.96bx

111.09x

120.34x

1.44

***

***

**

 

H

116.29

124.54a,y

126.91b,y

127.16b,y

120.79y

122.29y

138.16c,y

1.13

  1. Values are expressed as least squares means (LS-means)
  2. 11, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 21 d relative to weaning (= 0 d)
  3. 2T: MR treatment; S: sampling time; T × S: MR treatment × sampling time interaction
  4. 3Superscripts a, b, c within rows to indicate the LS-means differ from 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, and 21 d compared with 0 d by P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively; x, y within columns, to indicate that the LS-means differ between the C and H groups by P < 0.05; * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001, NS: not significant (P > 0.05)
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BMC Veterinary Research

ISSN: 1746-6148

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