Table 2 Treatment effects on haematological variables pre and post-transport in control and transported (RT and ULT) animals (n = 20 animals/treatment)

Control

9.20 ± 0.57^ax

8.20 ± 0.41^abx

8.60 ± 0.54^abx

7.90 ± 0.75^abx

8.90 ± 0.75^abx

7.81 ± 0.49^abx

7.40 ± 0.44^bx

9.66 ± 0.47^bx

RT

10.10 ± 0.57^ax

20.90 ± 2.30^by

15.40 ± 1.99^by

23.10 ± 1.43^by

15.00 ± 1.43^by

12.60 ± 1.01^by

18.70 ± 1.74^by

13.10 ± 1.22^by

ULT

9.00 ± 0.59^ax

16.70 ± 16.0^by

14.0 ± 1.16^by

17.80 ± 1.31^by

15.60 ± 1.31^by

14.10 ± 1.45^by

16.10 ± 1.07^by

11.14 ± 0.95^by

Neutrophil percentage (%)

Control

36.25 ± 2.70^abx

32.95 ± 2.705^bx

38.22 ± 3.10^abx

33.20 ± 3.00^bx

35.95 ± 2.85^bx

38.10 ± 2.11^abx

42.10 ± 2.42^ax

32.44 ± 3.30^bx

RT

38.00 ± 2.72^abx

37.16 ± 2.76^abx

39.20 ± 2.97^abx

43.95 ± 3.01^bx

37.16 ± 2.92^abx

42.67 ± 2.21^bx

33.79 ± 2.50^axy

40.68 ± 3.10^abx

ULT

37.30 ± 2.70^abx

34.35 ± 2.70^abx

37.78 ± 3.10^abx

38.84 ± 3.00^abx

34.55 ± 2.85^abx

37.53 ± 2.25^abx

31.47 ± 2.48^aby

36.06 ± 3.23^abx

Lymphocyte percentage (%)

Control

62.35 ± 2.86^abx

64.26 ± 2.74^abx

60.11 ± 3.02^bx

65.85 ± 2.92^abx

62.85 ± 2.87^abx

60.40 ± 2.05^abx

57.30 ± 2.47^ax

64.88 ± 14.14^abx

RT

59.80 ± 2.90^abx

58.63 ± 2.70^abx

59.15 ± 2.92^abx

53.89 ± 3.00^bx

61.37 ± 2.14^abx

54.94 ± 2.53^bx

65.68 ± 3.10^axy

58.42 ± 15.62^abx

ULT

59.15 ± 2.80^abx

62.05 ± 2.70^abx

59.89 ± 3.01^abx

59.00 ± 2.96^abx

63.25 ± 2.86^abx

60.82 ± 2.20^abx

68.32 ± 2.53^aby

62.82 ± 12.51^abx

Neutrophil:Lymphocyte ratio

Control

0.81 ± 0.13^abx

0.70 ± 0.08^abx

0.73 ± 0.10^abx

1.00 ± 0.13^bx

0.68 ± 0.09^abx

0.82 ± 0.06^abx

0.59 ± 0.08^ax

0.89 ± 0.13^abx

RT

0.70 ± 0.13^abx

0.61 ± 0.08^abx

0.79 ± 0.10^abx

0.81 ± 0.13^bxy

0.64 ± 0.08^abx

0.65 ± 0.06^by

0.49 ± 0.07^axy

0.64 ± 0.13^abx

ULT

0.69 ± 0.13^abx

0.58 ± 0.78^abx

0.70 ± 0.10^abx

0.54 ± 0.13^aby

0.63 ± 0.08^abx

0.67 ± 0.06^abxy

0.80 ± 0.07^aby

0.57 ± 0.14^abx

Haematocrit (HCT) (%)

Control

39.49 ± 0.57^axy

39.09 ± 0.41^abx

38.32 ± 0.54^bx

36.71 ± 0.66^bx

36.51 ± 0.75^bx

36.54 ± 0.49^bx

35.39 ± 0.44^bx

33.69 ± 0.47^bx

RT

39.18 ± 0.67^ax

34.41 ± 0.74^by

32.17 ± 1.25^by

32.26 ± 0.56^by

31.36 ± 0.65^by

29.75 ± 0.68^by

29.78 ± 0.63^by

28.09 ± 0.66^by

ULT

40.23 ± 0.59^ay

33.63 ± 0.90^by

32.06 ± 1.16^by

32.98 ± 1.69^by

32.01 ± 1.31^by

30.97 ± 1.45^by

30.74 ± 1.07^by

28.97 ± 0.95^by