Haematological Parameters of Healthy Donkeys Used as Draft Animals in Kano State, North West Nigeria

Donkeys represent an important draught and transport animal for rural communities in northern Nigeria, yet haematological reference data specific to working donkeys under Nigerian management conditions are limited. This study characterised haematological parameters in clinically healthy donkeys engaged in regular draught work in Kano State, North West Nigeria. Seventy adult donkeys comprising thirty-five males and thirty-five females were recruited from farming communities in the Kano metropolitan and peri-urban zones. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture and immediately processed for packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, total white blood cell count, and differential leucocyte counts. Mean packed cell volume was 34.8%, haemoglobin 11.4 g/dL, and total white blood cell count 9.2 multiplied by 10 to the power of nine per litre. Females recorded lower packed cell volume and red blood cell counts than males, consistent with reproductive haematological patterns described in equids. Lymphocytes comprised the dominant leucocyte type at 54% of the differential count. Comparison with published reference ranges from other African countries revealed generally concordant values with minor differences attributable to management and environmental factors. The dataset provides species-specific haematological references for equine practitioners working with donkeys in north-western Nigeria. Keywords: donkeys, haematology, reference values, draught animal, Kano.