Impact of Bovine Fascioliasis on Hemato-Metabolic Status and Postpartum Ovarian Activity in Montbeliarde Dairy Cows in Northeastern of Algeria.

Abstract

This study was designed to focus on the relationship between postpartum ovarian activity and fascioliosis of dairy cattle in northeastern Algeria associated haematological and biochemical alterations. Specifically, non-infected cows showed significantly higher (p < 0 .001) in all erythrogram parameters including, red blood cell counts (7.98 ± 1.31 x 10⁶/µL vs 4.56 ± 1.16 10⁶/µL),  haemoglobin  (12.37 ± 1.27 g/dL vs 4.23 ± 0.67 g/dL), haematocrit  (36.51 ± 3.30% vs 18.93 ± 6.35%), the mean corpuscular volume (48.30 ± 6.27 fL vs 41.39 ± 1.95 fL), the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (14.57 ± 1.38 pg vs 12.18 ± 0.94 pg ) and the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration  (31.76 ± 2.90 % vs 29.05 ± 2.11 %, ). The leukogram of infected animals characterized by significantly elevated (p < 0.001) in total white blood cells counts, eosinophil and basophil.  Conversely, this group exhibited concurrent lymphopenia and monocytopenia (p < 0 .001). The levels of liver enzyme activity in relation to  fasciola infected cows were significantly (< 0.001) increased compared to uninfected animals. This included AST (213.65 ± 44.52 U/L vs 102.21 ±18.08 U/L), ALT (68.63 ±22.68 U/L vs32.12 ±7.33 U/L) and ALP (182.52 ±61.18 U/L vs 92.95 ±32.34 U/L. In contrast, infected cows demonstrated significant hypoproteinemia (3.51 ±0.85 g/dL vs 6.02 ± 1.18 g/dL,                    p < 0.001) and hypoalbuminemia  (2.29 ±0.66 g/dL  vs 3.62 ± 0.66 g/dL p < 0.001). Serum progesterone levels at 30 days  post-calving were significantly higher in uninfected cows (1.30 ± 0.16 ng/mL) than in those infected with F. hepatica  (0.25 ± 0.13 ng/mL). Consequently, 71.6% (63/88) of uninfected cows resumed ovarian activity within 30 days postpartum, whereas only 31.25 % (10/32)                            of fluke-infected cows exhibited ovarian cyclicity within the same timeframe. Furthermore, the calving to conception interval was significantly prolonged in Fasciola-infected animals                               (120,50± 14,52 days vs 91,51± 20,92 days, p < 0.001). The average number of services per conception in infected cows increased by three (+ 3) compared to healthy controls, which ranged from 1.7 to 2.3 services. These results suggest that F. hepatica infection significantly alters systemic haematological parameters and hepatic metabolic status, thereby impairing postpartum fertility success. This emphasises the urgent need for continuous surveillance and targeted parasite control measures as well as structured prophylactic programme interventions.