BIOCHEMICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL BLOOD PARAMETERS OF LIMOUSIN BREED COWS OF DIFFERENT SELECTIONS

Improving breeds to increase the productivity and breeding qualities of animals is impossible without a comprehensive study of the physiological and biochemical processes occurring in a living organism. Blood plays an important role in maintaining the body's vital functions. The level of metabolism depends on the quantitative and qualitative indicators of blood, and this serves as the main criterion for assessing the physiological state of animals. In view of the above, the aim of this study was to examine the morphological and biochemical blood parameters of cows imported from Poland and Hungary, as well as those of domestic breeding. The research was conducted at Lvivske LLC, Lviv region, on cows of the Limousin breed of Hungarian, Polish and Ukrainian selection. It was found that the biochemical and morphological blood parameters of Limousin cows varied to some extent according to country of origin. In particular, cows of Ukrainian breeding showed a higher concentration of hemoglobin, total protein, globulins and their fractions, red blood cells, and lymphocytes compared to animals of Polish and Hungarian breeding. The highest levels of leukocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes were observed in Polish-bred animals. Regarding albumin content, no significant difference was observed between animals of Polish and Ukrainian breeding; however, Hungarian-bred cows exhibited slightly lower albumin levels compared to their counterparts in the other two groups, though they had a relatively higher content of albumin and globulins. The lowest levels of globulin fractions were observed in Polish-bred cows, which may indicate both unique individual characteristics and a reduced level of adaptation to new environmental conditions. The highest albumin-globulin ratio observed in Hungarian-bred cows indicates an increased albumin content relative to globulins, often seen in cases of inadequate immune response or decreased globulin (antibody) synthesis, potentially signaling reduced immune protection and adaptability to stress factors. Among imported Limousin cows, ALT and AST activities were higher compared to those of domestic breeding. This may be attributed to stress due to changes in housing conditions, transportation, or feeding practices. Elevated enzyme activity generally indicates increased protein metabolism, reflecting the body’s response to meet heightened energy and resource demands required for stress adaptation.