Animal Production Research Advances, 6(2): 139-142, 2010 ISSN: 0794 - 4721

www.tapasinstitute.org/journals/apra
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Tapas Institute of Scientific Research and Development, 2010

INFLUENCE OF WALLOW ON SOME HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND

SERUM ENZYMES IN GROWING PIGS

P. K. Ajuogu1, P. Latona2, F. O. Ajayi1 and O. A. Ekine1

1
Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, Nigeria
2
Department of Animal Science Faculty of Agriculture, Rivers State University of Science Technology
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Corresponding author: P. K. Ajuogu

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to determine the influence of wallow on some hematological and serum
enzymes of growing pigs. Six pre-pubertal pigs of average age of two months were randomly
assigned to two treatment groups, comprising wallow (A) and non-wallow facilities (B) in a
Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Data on some hematological and serum enzymes status of
the animals were subjected to statistical analysis (ANOVA). From the results, blood parameters
such as Hb, PCV and Random glucose were significantly higher (p<0.05) in non wallow treatment,
while SGOT and SGPT values were significantly higher in wallow groups than in the non wallow
group. It was concluded that wallow for relatively younger pigs (1-4 months) have some negative
effects on hematological parameters and serum enzymes.

Keywords: Pigs, wallow, blood, serum enzymes

INTRODUCTION

Wallow management is critical to the success of outdoor and indoor pig production, since it is a
very effective method of cooling. McGlore et al. (1988) reported that wallow enhances cooling and
reduces heat stress in pigs, which ultimately affects other physiological parameters in both outdoor
and indoor swine production. Several other workers have reported the effect of heat stress in swine
production, especially in the humid tropics, which includes reduction in feed intake, decreased
weight gain, changes in the pigs physiology (biochemical characteristics) and its effort to cope with
the respiratory activity and decreased thyroid hormone production among others (Christon, 1981;
Curtis, 1981; Stone, 1982; Myer et al., 1998).
Blood chemistry constituents reflect the physiological responsiveness of the animals to internal and
external environments, which include temperature and humidity effects on young pigs (Pederson et
al., 2003), housing and feeds and feeding (Pederson, 2000). Blood chemistry studies are usually
undertaken to establish the diagnostic baseline of blood characteristics for routine management
practices of farm animals (Onyeyilli et al., 1992; Tambuwal et al., 2002).
Clinical enzymology is the application of science of enzymes to the diagnosis and treatment of
disease process. Serum enzymes in normal and stress prone animals have been studied (Wekhe
and Gloria, 2004). Serum alkaline phosphotase estimations are of interest in the diagnosis of two
groups of conditions. The hepatobiliary disease and bone disease associated with increased
oesteoblastic activities. Marked elevations of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LD) activity are seen in
patients with untreated pernicious anemia (Fox, 1999).
Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase (SGOT) is markedly raised in disease and morbid
conditions involving injury to large number of metabolically active cells and in myocardiac infection
(Keele and Neil, 1971). The elevated Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT) is usually
noticed during viral infection, fatty hepatotoxic drugs and autoimmune liver disease (Wekhe and
Gloria, 2004). Elevation of serum SGPT indicates that the liver cells are either leaky or damaged.
Scanty reports abound in the effect of wallow on blood parameters and serum enzymes.
The aim of this work is to determine the effects of wallow on the hematological parameters and
serum enzymes of growing pigs.

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Ajuogu et al.: Influence of wallow on some hematology and serum enzymes of pigs

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six (6) pre-pubertal, three months old Large White pigs were randomly assigned to two treatment
groups designated A-with Wallow facilities, B –Without Wallow facilities. Each treatment group of
three animals was further subdivided into three replicates of one animal per replicates. The animals
were pre- conditioned for one week before the commencement of the experiment to acclimatize
them to the new environment. The experiment lasted for eight weeks. During this period,
conventional growers pig feed were offered on ad- libitum bases. Water was also given ad –libitum.
Blood samples were collected with the aid of syringe and needle after the expiration of eight weeks
through the thigh vein from all the pigs in the treatment groups and decanted into two sets of
properly labeled sterilized sample bottles, one set containing K2 EDTA (dipotasium ethelene diamine
tetra acetic acid) for determination of the hematological parameters (Hb, PCV and Random
Glucose). The second set of sample bottles without anticoagulant for serum enzymes, and were
taken immediately to laboratory for determination of total protein and serum enzymes (SGOT and
SGPT status), According to the methods described by Jain (1986).
The data obtained from the laboratory analysis were further subjected to analysis of variance
(ANOVA) and their means separated using the Least Significant Difference method (LSD).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The treatment effect on some hematological parameters of young pigs was presented in table 1.
From the results, PCV, Hb and Random Glucose were significantly (p<0.05) higher in non wallow
group than the wallow group. There was no significant different (p>0.05) between wallow and non
wallow group for total serum protein.

Table 1: The effect of wallow on blood parameters of young pigs

Parameters Wallow(A) Non Wallow(B)
b
Hemoglobin (mg/l) 11.17+0.08 12.51+0.10a
b
Packed cell volume (%) 33.00+0.36 36.25+0.20 a
b
Random glucose (mM ) 4.50+0.08 6.92+0.20 a
a
Total serum protein(mg/l ) 86.88+0.80 85.79+1.74 a
Mean+SEM with different superscript in the same column differs significantly (p<0.05)

Packed cell volume PCV of non wallow pigs was 36.25% against 33.00% in pigs with wallow
facilities. The Hb status of non wallow is 12.51 against 11.17 mg/l in pigs with wallow treatment.
Random glucose of non wallow groups is significantly higher with 2.42 mM than random glucose of
pigs in wallow treatments. The value of total protein for wallow pigs are 86.88 and 85.79mg/l
respectively.
The results of the effect of wallow and non wallow facilities of growing pigs are presented in table
2. There was significant difference (p<0.05) between the treatment groups for SGOT and SGPT.
Pigs with wallow facilities had higher SGOT (77.58 iu) and SGPT (88.67) than non wallow treatment
group i.e. 68.38 and 78.46 respectively for SGOT and SGPT.

Table 2: The effect of wallow on some serum enzymes of growing pigs

Serum Enzymes Wallow(A) Non-wallow(B)
SGOT(iu) 77.58+1.97 a 68.38+1.47 b
SGPT(iu) 88.67+1.80 a 78.46+3.37 b
Mean+SEM with different superscript in the same column differs significantly (p<0.05)

The blood chemistry constituents reflect the physiological responsiveness of the animals to internal
and external environment. The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) which showed that pigs
in non wallow facilities had superior blood chemistry (Hb, PCV and Random glucose) may suggest
that wallow at that age (3 months) may be inflicting some kind of stress (cold) on the animals. This
collaborates with Sudakov (1992) who reported that animals exposed to a stressor affect
hemoglobin, red blood count and PCV. The above suggested stress (cold stress from wallow) may
have lead to the release of stress hormone (cortisols), which affected PCV and Hb negatively.
Hemoglobin is the oxygen carrying agent in the blood, while PCV is a set of red blood cells in
percentages (Babatunde, 1999; Mollison, 1999). Spiegel (1980) also reported that during stress,

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Ajuogu et al.: Influence of wallow on some hematology and serum enzymes of pigs

there is a release of physiological glucocorticords, which depletes erythrocytes through involution of

bone marrow, consequently resulting in reduced hemoglobin, PCV and erythrocytes volume.
Also random glucose, was significantly higher (p<0.05) non wallow group than the wallow group,
due to known reason. Random glucose is a measure of sugar level of the blood of an animal and is
significantly elevated during diabetes. Total serum protein is an indication of protein retained in the
body (Esonu et al., 2001). The results of the total protein of the animals amongst the group which
showed no significant difference (P>0.05) suggest that protein formation are normal, and there are
no pathological metabolic abnormality or protein retention amongst the group.
The SGOT and SGPT observed in this study, even though the non wallow groups of animals is
significantly higher (P<0.05) than the wallow treatment group is still within the normal range of
(60-90 iu/ml), and may not be of any pathological significant or injury of the liver (hepatic cells).
This supports Keele and Neil (1971) who reported marked increase in SGOT and SGPT in disease
and morbid conditions involving injury of large number of metabolic active cells, for example liver
cells. Besides the total protein was not suggestive of any disease in the body because the values of
total protein are not significant (P>0.05) between the group.

CONCLUSION

The blood parameters of non wallow pigs at relatively younger age 3 months are favorably better
than that of wallow groups. This was thought to be probably due to cold stress in the wallow
group. Thus, at the age of 1-4 months, wallow facilities may not be too necessary in growing pigs.

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