Breed-Specific Haematologic Reference Values in Adult Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in the Humid Tropics of Nigeria

One hundred (50 males and 50 females) B-not strain indigenous turkeys, Meleagris gallopavo, were used to determine the reference values for their haematological parameters. The turkeys were housed in the poultry unit and jugular venepunctures were used to collect their blood. The haematological parameters were determined using standard procedures. The mean values of: the packed cell volume (PCV; 37.29 ± 0.37 %), red blood cell (RBC) counts (2.50 ± 0.44 × 10⁶.µl⁻¹), haemoglobin concentration (Hbc; 10.89 ± 0.34 g.dl⁻¹), mean corpuscular volume (MCV; 150.63 ± 0.73 fl), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH; 44.29 ± 1.78 pg), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC; 29.10 ± 0.73 g.dl⁻¹), and white blood cell (WBC) counts (12.41 ± 0.83 × 10³ µl⁻¹) were determined. No significant differences were found between the male and female B-not strain turkeys in this study. The results will help in the interpretation of cases of disease when there are variations in the values and serve as baseline data for B-not strain of turkeys in the humid tropics.