Haematological traits of induced hypovolemic large white yorkshire piglets as affected by feeding them milk of pantja goats and black badri cows

Pig is recognized as an advantageous non-rodent animal model within a large number of biomedical research areas and of xenotransplantation of animal organs into humans. People prefer taking goat milk during dengue fever like conditions for recovery from low blood constituents, particularly the blood platelets, without any scientific proof.

Haemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and blood platelets count were studied in 2.5 months old 18 experimentally induced hypovolemic large white yorkshire (LWY) piglets at CVASc, GBPUAT, Pantnagar after feeding them milk of Pantja goats and black Badri cows over a period of 30 days during Oct.-Nov. 2019 and May-June 2020. Hypovolemia in piglets was achieved by withdrawing their 15% of total estimated blood volume (@ 7.5% in each time on day 1^st and 3^rd of experiment), followed by providing them with milk, which was double the amount of blood withdrawn, for 30 days. Control group (T1) piglets (6 no.) were maintained on basal diet, whereas group T2 and T3 piglets were given milk of Pantja goats and black Badri cows, respectively. Blood samples for testing were collected on 1^st, 3^rd, 7^th, 15^th and 30^th day.

Average normal blood picture of weaned LWY piglets for haemoglobin (g/dl), ESR (mm/hr) and platelets count (10⁵ cells/mm³) was 11.36 ± 0.20, 10.00± 2.01, 3.1767 ± 0.2577, respectively. For haemoglobin and ESR, the values on testing days and the overall values for group T1, T2 and T3 piglets did not show any significant variation. However, the pooled values for haemoglobin were significantly different (P<0.01) on various testing days, being higher on day 1^st and 30^th than on 3^rd, 7^th and 15^th day, implying that normal haemoglobin level was regained on 30^th day of hypovolemia. The pooled values for ESR were significantly different (P<0.05) on various testing days, being higher on day 1^st and 3^rd only, which may be due to simultaneous increase in total erythrocyte counts. Overall mean platelets count (x10⁵cells/mm³) for LWY piglets was 3.2570± 0.0890 and their values in group T1, T2 and T3 piglets were 3.0983±0.1675, 3.0820±0.1490 and 3.5907±0.1885, respectively, being significantly higher (P<0.05) for black Badri cow milk fed group piglets. This may imply usefulness of black Badri cow milk over Pantja goat milk in improving blood platelets count in human, considering pig a good animal model for human within a large number of biomedical researches.