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Biochemical and haematological reference intervals for 3-4-week-old kiwi chicks (Apteryx mantelli) reared in
E M Scheltema1, L Howe1, Kmo Pickard1
1Tāwharau Ora - School of Veterinary Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Insights
This study establishes the first comprehensive biochemical and haematological reference intervals (RI) for juvenile North Island brown kiwi chicks. These findings are crucial for assessing the health of young kiwi and informing conservation efforts.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Wildlife Biology
- Avian Physiology
Background:
- Establishing species-specific reference intervals (RI) is critical for accurate health assessments in wildlife.
- Limited biochemical and haematological data exists for juvenile North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli).
- Previous studies focused on adult kiwi, necessitating age-specific data for juvenile birds.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine biochemical and haematological 95% reference intervals (RI) for captive-reared, 3-4-week-old North Island brown kiwi chicks.
- To provide a foundational dataset for health monitoring and conservation of this vulnerable species.
- To establish uniform sample collection and handling protocols for reliable avian health assessments.
Main Methods:
- Blood samples were collected from 32 healthy, captive-reared kiwi chicks (19 males, 13 females).
- Biochemical analytes (e.g., glucose, protein, electrolytes) and haematological parameters (e.g., white blood cell counts) were measured using automated analyzers and manual methods.
- Parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses were employed to establish 95% RI, with 90% confidence intervals calculated.
Main Results:
- Biochemical and haematological 95% RI were successfully generated for juvenile North Island brown kiwi.
- No significant differences in mean biochemical values were observed between sedated vs. un-sedated or male vs. female chicks.
- Higher phosphorus concentrations were noted in samples analyzed more than one hour post-collection compared to those analyzed within one hour.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first comprehensive biochemical and haematological RI for Apteryx spp. chicks, utilizing standardized protocols.
- The generated RI are robust and applicable to other captive-reared kiwi chicks, aiding in health evaluations.
- Juvenile kiwi exhibited distinct haematological profiles compared to adults, including lower packed cell volume and total plasma protein.
Aims:
To establish biochemical and haematological 95% reference intervals (RI) for juvenile North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) chicks using parametric analysis.
Methods:
Blood samples were collected from healthy 3-4-week-old, captive-reared North Island brown kiwi chicks (n = 32; male = 19, female = 13). Concentrations of total plasma protein (TPP), uric acid, glucose, phosphorus, calcium, albumin, globulin, potassium, and sodium and activities of aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase (CK) were measured using an automated VetScan VS2 laboratory analyser and the Abaxis Avian-Reptilian Profile Plus. Total and differential white blood cell counts were determined manually on blood smears prepared with a modified Wright-Giemsa stain. TPP was also measured manually using a refractometer, and packed cell volume (PCV) was measured using microhaematocrit tubes. RI were calculated using parametric and non-parametric methods depending on the distribution of the data. Confidence intervals (90%) around upper and lower bounds of the RI were calculated to assess certainty of the intervals.
Results:
Biochemical (n = 28; male = 17; female = 11) and haematological (n = 22; male = 14, female = 8) 95% RI were generated for juvenile North Island brown kiwi. The 90% CI of the upper or lower limits of the majority of the RI generated were > 0.2 times the RI, reflecting the relatively small sample size. There was no evidence of a difference in mean biochemical values collected from sedated vs. un-sedated, and male vs. female chicks. However, the concentration of phosphorus was higher (p = 0.034) in samples that were analysed > 1 hour after collection (2.097 (SD 0.202) mmol/L) compared to samples analysed < 1 hour after collection (1.856 (SD 0.349) mmol/L).
Conclusions:
This data provides the first comprehensive biochemical and haematological RI generated for Apteryx spp. chicks carried out under uniform collection and sample handling protocols, making the results robust and applicable to other captive-reared kiwi chicks.
Clinical Relevance:
In comparison to published RI from adult kiwi (Doneley 2006; Morgan 2008), kiwi chicks in this study had lower PCV, TPP and uric acid concentrations, and higher CK activities, white cell counts and lymphocyte counts. These RI are of value to wildlife veterinarians and conservation managers assessing the health of individual kiwi chicks, and for population-level comparison of birds of different ages and living in different managed or wild habitats.
