Blood hematology profile at postpartum in Ettawa grade does fed with different fatty acid flushing diets during the late gestation period and different litter sizes

¹ Graduate School of Nutrition and Feed Science, Faculty of Animal Science, IPB University, Jl Agatis, Kampus IPB Dramaga, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
² Department of Livestock and Animal Health Services of Central Java Province, Jl. Jenderal Gatot Soebroto, Tarubudaya, Ungaran, Central Java 50517 Indonesia
³ Department of Nutrition and Feed Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, IPB University, Jl. Agatis Kampus IPB Darmaga, Dramaga, Babakan, Dramaga, Bogor, Jawa Barat 16680 Indonesia
⁴ Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, IPB University, Jl. Agatis, Kampus IPB Dramaga, Babakan, Dramaga, Babakan, Dramaga, Bogor, Jawa Barat 16680 Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: dewiapriastuti86@gmail.com

Abstract

Physiological stress occurs in does immediately after parturition. This study evaluated the blood hematology profile at postpartum in Ettawa grade does fed with different fatty acid flushing diets during the late gestation period and different litter sizes (LS). A total of 15 Ettawa grade does with a gestational age of 4 months were used in this study during the flushing period. The flushing ration was supplemented with a 2.8% fatty acid level in lauric acid (T1), α-linolenic acid (T2) and α-linolenic acid (T3). A factorial randomized complete design 3 x 2 in which the first factor was fatty acids and the second factor was litter sizes (LS1 and LS2) was used to measure blood hematology. Leukocyte level was higher in LS2 compared to LS1 (P<0.05), but it was not affected by fatty acids. Even though the lymphocyte level was highest in T3 and LS2 (P<0.05), it was still in the normal range. Monocyte and neutrophil were lower in T3 compared to T1 (P<0.05), but it was similar to T2. In conclusion, the results suggest that flushing in the late gestation period with supplementation of 2.8% α-linolenic acid improved the immune system at postpartum on the does giving birth to twins 2.