Journal of Camel Practice and Research

The study assessed haematological, biochemical and hormonal parameters in 12 pregnant and non-pregnant she-camel (Camelus dromedarius) managed extensively in a Sudan savannah ecological zone of Nigeria. The parameters were determined at monthly interval during the last trimester in the case of pregnant she-camels. The result shows signifcantly (p<0.05) higher mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration in pregnant (49.0g/dl) compared to non-pregnant (19.2g/dl) she-camels. No signifcant difference was recorded on haemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean haemoglobin concentration and lymphocytes. The blood urea level, total protein, serum globulin and albumin showed no signifcant different (P>0.05) among the pregnant and non-pregnant she-camels. The progesterone concentration was signifcantly higher in pregnant (4.23ng/ml) compared to non-pregnant (1.39ng/ml) camels. However, alkaline and inorganic phosphatase were not signifcantly different in both pregnant and non-pregnant she camels (p>0.05). Serum calcium concentration in non-pregnant she-camels (2.63µmol/l) was signifcantly higher than that in pregnant ones (2.17 µmol/l). It was concluded that physiological condition had more infuence on biochemical and hormonal rather than heamatological indices in camel raised in a Sudan Savannah ecological zone of Nigeria.