Reference Values and Effect of Age on Hemogram in Landim Cattle Raised in Extensive System in Districts of Xai-Xai, Limpopo, and Chongoene, Gaza Province, Mozambique

This research aimed to establish reference intervals and evaluate the influence of age in 56 Nguni cattle raised in Mozambique. Blood samples containing EDTA as anticoagulant were collected. The erythrogram and total leukocyte count were analyzed using the BC-2800 Vet Mindray^® automatic counter. The differential counting of leukocytes was performed in blood smears stained using Giemsa and Mcgruwald's stain. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical analysis system (SAS). Analysis of variance was performed using the GLM procedure, and mean contrasts were analyzed using Duncan's parametric test at 5% significance, with the Shapiro-Wilk and Levene tests for date normalities. The reference intervals for the erythrogram are as follows: red blood cells: 6.78 to 7.40 × 10¹²/L; hemoglobin: 10.77 to 11.36 g/dL; hematocrit: 28.02 to 29.56%; mean corpuscular volume (MCV): 39.91 to 43.02 fL; mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH): 15.27 to 16.44 pg; mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC): between 37.86 and 39.10 g/dL; and red blood cell distribution width (RDW): between 16.98 and 19.40%. For leukograms, the following references values were obtained: total leukocytes: between 14,106 and 16,233 × 10⁶/L; basophils: between 32 and 165 × 10⁶/L; eosinophils: between 823 and 1262 × 10⁶/L; band neutrophils: between 25 and 87 × 10⁶/L; segmented neutrophils: between 2510 and 3249 × 10⁶/L; total neutrophils: between 2565 and 3306 × 10⁶/L; lymphocytes: between 9471 and 11,474 × 10⁶/L; and monocytes: between 154 and 296 × 10⁶/L. Age influenced MCV, MCH, leukocytes, eosinophils, and lymphocytes. Leukogram reference intervals of other countries could not be used for the breed of Mozambique without making gross errors.