Effect of melatonin implantation on haematological parameters in anestrus lactating buffalo during summer season under tropical conditions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin implantation in Murrah buffaloes on some haematological parameters during summer season under tropical conditions. Twelve lactating Murrah buffaloes were divided into control and treated groups of six animals each. Treated buffaloes were implanted with melatonin (18 mg melatonin / 50 kg body weight) at the base of left ear. Blood samples for measuring haematological parameters collected biweekly between 0 and 84 days were analysed by hematology analyzer. Melatonin treatment had no effect on all heamatology parameters during summer season under tropical condiations.  With the advancement of melatonin treatment increases (P < 0.05)  in mean corpuscular hemoglobin at day 70 after treatment and in count of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell distribution with-coefficient of variation at day 84 were found. In addation, melatonin revealed an increase  (P < 0.05) in mean platelet volume at days 28 and 56 after treatment.  On the other hand, the advancement of melatonin treatment exhibited gradual decrease  (P < 0.05) in neutrophil, platelets and plateletcrit count 84 days after treatment. Other heamatological parameters were not affected by advancement of day after treatment. In general, melatonin implantation did not affect the haematological parameters to counteract the summer stress conditions in lactating buffaloes under tropical conditions.