Haptoglobin concentration in blood sera of hoofed mammals in captivity

There were 151 serum samples of the zoological species of hoofed animals from the Bovidae, Cervidae and Equidae families examined for the presence of haptoglobin (Hp). In the majority of samples the Hp levels were close to the ones defined in the related species of domestic animals (86.49, 52.38 and 69.7% in particular families, respectively). In females (13.94% in the Bovidae family, 63.64% in the Cervidae, 15% in the Equidae) more often than in males (11.11, 26.32 and 0%, respectively) the increased Hp concentrations were found. What is striking it is the relatively high frequency of the raised Hp concentrations occurrence in the Cervidae sera, which may be connected with the higher responsiveness to the factors inducing Hp rise in this family. The contribution of infectious, parasitic, stress-inducing factors and injuries is taken into consideration as the main cause of the raised levels occurrence in the sera of animals kept in zoological gardens. The obtained results suggest the potential usefulness of the Hp estimation as a routine examination in the diagnostics of the inflammation in wild species of Bovidae and Cervidae as well as in monitoring the animal well being in the zoological gardens.