Thrombocytes, leucocytes and packed red cell volume in piglets during the first two weeks of life.

Number of platelets, leucocytes and packed red cell volume (PGV) have been determined in normal piglets during the first 2 weeks of life. A mean platelet count of 337 ± 79 at birth decreased during the first 2 days to 241 ± 48, followed by increasing numbers the next week to a maximum of 578 ±128 at 10 days after birth. Then a slight decrease to 492 ±115 on the 15th day was observed. The leucocyte counts were highest the first 30 hrs. of life, the mean count being 16.9. During this period, however, there was as wide a range as from 3.6 to 46.3. For the rest of the period the mean varied from 8.0 to 11.8, the counts ranging from 4.5 to 20.0. The mean PGV, which was highest at birth, decreased from a mean of 40.8 ± 6.1 to 32.9 ± 5.0 during the first 2 days. At 7 days of age the mean was 31.5 ± 3.8 but increased during the following week to 39.9 ± 3.6 on the 15th day.