Age-related plasma chemistry changes in houbara and kori bustards in the United Arab Emirates

Plasma chemistry parameters were measured in adult (>1.5 yr) and juvenile ( 4-8 and 9-16 wk) captive houbara bustards (Chlamydotis undulata macqueenii) and from adult (>1.5 yr) and juvenile (4-3, 9-16, 17-24, 25-32, 33-40 and 41-52 wk) captive kori bustards (Ardeotis kori) to study age-related change s. A comparison of the values obtained was made between adult and juvenile bustards of both species and from the literature with other bustard species . Significant differences between adult and juvenile bustards of bath speci es were found for glucose, total protein, alkaline phasphatase (ALKP), aspa rtate amino transferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase, and calcium. Some par ameters, such as calcium, showed comparable age-related changes in bath spe cies. In contrast, other parameters showed clear differences in the type (A LT, AST) or magnitude (ALKP) of age related change between the species, dem onstrating the importance of determining normal values for individual speci es. The results obtained from this study provide blood chemistry values for these species and demonstrate age-related differences between adult and ju venile birds.