Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T19:53:47.910Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Some effects of handling reindeer during gatherings on the composition of their blood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. Hyvärinen
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oulu, 90100 Oulu 10, Finland
T. Helle
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oulu, 90100 Oulu 10, Finland
M. Nieminen
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oulu, 90100 Oulu 10, Finland
P. Väyrynen
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oulu, 90100 Oulu 10, Finland
Raija Väyrynen
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Oulu, 90100 Oulu 10, Finland
Get access

Summary

1. The effect of gathering reindeer on the composition of the blood was studied in female reindeer and their calves herded in northern Finland. Blood samples were taken in summer at three gathering places, under differing conditions and in autumn at the same places during gatherings which lasted for longer than 2 days. These were compared with samples taken from little-disturbed animals during winter.

2. Measurements were made of concentrations of glucose and lactate in whole blood and of urea, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium in serum, together with serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and glutamine oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) activities.

3. Gatherings affected nearly all the blood parameters studied. In summer the temperature during separation seemed to influence glucose and lactate concentrations. The duration of the gathering and the distance the animals were driven clearly affected serum GOT and urea values.

4. During the long autumn gathering serum urea concentration increased about eight-fold in 2 days accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in serum calcium.

5. Serum CPK and GOT activities were higher during the summer and autumn than during the winter. Serum CPK and blood glucose concentrations were higher in young calves than in adult females.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Afanas'ev, V. P. 1963. [Seasonal changes in proteins and blood picture of reindeer.] Trudy mosk. vet. Akad. 47: 329339.Google Scholar
Annino, J. S. 1964. Clinical Chemistry: Principles and Procedures. 3rd ed. Churchill, London.Google Scholar
Boehringer Mannheim. 1972. Blood Sugar: GOT Method. Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, Mannheim.Google Scholar
Burger, M. 1958. Pathologische Physiologie. Thieme, Leipzig.Google Scholar
Calbiochem. 1971. Calbiochem Clinical Manual. Lajolla, California.Google Scholar
Dieterich, R. A. and Luick, J. R. 1971. Reindeer in biomedical research. Lab. Anim. Sci. 21:817824.Google Scholar
Eriksson, L. and Valtonen, M. 1974. Seasonal changes in renal urea concentration in the reindeer {Rangifer tarandus L.) Annls Zool. fenn. 11: 200203.Google Scholar
Harper, H. A. 1973. Review of Physiological Chemistry. 14th ed. Lange, Los Altos, California.Google Scholar
Hermansen, L. and Stensvold, I. 1972. Production and removal of lactate during exercise in man. Acta physiol. scand. 86: 191201.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hyvärinen, H. and Helle, T. 1973. [Physiological state of female reindeer in Alakitka and Nakkala in spring/winter 1973.] Poromies 40/4: 810.Google Scholar
Hyvärinen, H., Helle, T., Vayrynen, R. and Vayrynen, P. 1975. Seasonal and nutritional effects on serum proteins and urea concentrations in the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.). Br. J. Nutr. 33: 6372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knuttgen, H. G. and Saltin, B. 1973. Oxygen uptake, muscle high-energy phosphates, and lactate in exercise under acute hypoxic conditions in man. Acta physiol. scand. 87: 368376.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lenkova, R. I., Usik, S. V. and Yakovlev, N. N. 1973. [Changes in the urea level in the blood and tissues during muscular activity in relation to adaptation of the organism.] Fiziol. Zh. SSR 59: 10971101.Google Scholar
Luick, J. R., Person, S. J., Cameron, R. D. and White, R. G. 1973. Seasonal variations in glucose metabolism of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) estimated with (U−14C) glucose and (3−3H) glucose. Br. J. Nutr. 29: 245259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McEwan, E. H. 1968. Hematological studies of barren-ground caribou. Can. J. Zool. 46: 10311036.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McEwan, E. H. and Whitehead, P. E. 1970. Seasonal changes in the energy and nitrogen intake in reindeer and caribou. Can. J. Zool. 48: 905913.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Maloiy, G. M. O., Kay, R. N. B., Goodall, E. D. and Topps, J. H. 1970. Digestion and nitrogen metabolism in sheep and red deer given large or small amounts of water and protein. Br. J. Nutr. 24: 843855.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shapiro, Y., Magazanik, A., Sohar, E. and Reich, C. B. 1973. Serum enzyme changes in untrained subjects following a prolonged march. Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 51: 271276.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Väyrynen, P. 1974. [The effects of gatherings on blood glucose and lactic acid concentration and glutamine oxalacetic transaminase and creatine phosphokinase activities and serum urea concentrations in the reindeer.] M.Sc. Thesis, Dep. Zool. Univ. Oulu, Finland.Google Scholar