Haemoglobin types, blood parameters and erythrocyte glutathione in the New Zealand Romney and other breeds

From a study of approximately 1000 New Zealand Romney ewes from different areas of New Zealand it was found that the mean packed cell volume of sheep of haemoglobin type B Hb B was significantly lower than for haemoglobin type A (Hb A) sheep. The mean Hb A gene frequency was 0.60. The concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) in the erythrocytes of these Romneys followed a normal distribution, the mean being 67.1 ± 12.4 mg GSH per 100 ml erythrocytes. The concentration of GSH in selenium deficient sheep was significantly higher than for selenium adequate sheep. The concentrations of the selenium-containing enzyme, glutathione peroxidase in the erythrocytes and of copper in the plasma of Hb B sheep were significantly higher than for Hb A sheep. When different breeds of sheep on Mana Island were compared, the Finnish Landrace had significantly less ferroxidase in their plasma than did other breeds.