6th Annual Judith Ramaley Celebration of Research and Creative Scholarship
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Poster #126 White-tailed Deer Health in Managed and Unmanaged Populations
Philip Zorn
Faculty Mentor: Kimberly Bates
Health of individuals can be measured in many ways, but one common method is to monitor differential white blood cell counts. Skewing of certain blood cell types from normal counts can be an indicator of disease, stress or other physiologic problems. In this study, blood samples were collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianus) carcasses from managed versus unmanaged wildlife areas during the legal hunting season, Fall 2011. In theory, animals that are not managed should be competing more for resources and therefore would have a less ideal diet than animals whose populations numbers were kept under control. Currently, manual differential white blood cell counts have been completed for 48 of 65 unmanaged blood samples and 16 of 16 managed blood samples. Automated differential white blood cells counts were completed for 7 managed samples and 2 unmanaged samples. Blood coagulation inhibited automated blood counts of more samples. Coagulation may have affected the neutrophil counts in all blood samples tested, as the automated neutrophil results for the managed population yielded on average 34 cells and the manual results were on average 16.6 cells. For continuity of results, all samples will be analyzed using the manual results only. Lymphocyte and basophil counts were comparable for both managed and unmanaged populations, as the greatest difference between populations was eosinophils. Eosinophil counts for the unmanaged population were on average 5.8 times higher than the managed population, indicating a higher probability of parasitic infection in the unmanaged population. The remaining blood samples are currently being analyzed. |
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