Effects of ration and Fasciola infection on some blood parameters of ewes

This study was conducted using fourty cross-bred ewes in 5 groups of which one was kept as a control and the others were infected with metacercariae of Fasciola gigantica twice at the beginning of the experiment and 200 days from the first. The four infected groups fed on basal ration or high protein ration with or without mineral mixture. Blood samples were taken from the five groups to assess the concentrations of plasma fibrinogen and serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, calcium and inorganic phosphorous. Results indicated that ewes total serum protein, albumin and globulin were decreased by Fasciola infection. The decrease was only significant in ewes fed basal ration with or without mineral mixture. Mineral mixture had no effect on the later blood parameters of infected ewes although little improvement in blood serum globulin was noticed. Plasma fibrinogen decreased significantly by infection. The level of plasma fibrinogen was improved by feeding high protein ration but did not affect by adding mineral mixture to any of the ration used. Infection was also found to decrease blood serum inorganic phosphorous but not calcium level. Feeding high protein ration with or without mineral supplement maintained blood serum inorganic phosphorous as that of the uninfected ewes. Blood serum calcium to phosphorous ratio of ewes fed only basal ration was significantly higher than that of other groups.