Reference serum protein and lipoprotein fractions of ostriches (Struthio camelus) in Turkey

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine for reference purposes the values of serum albumin, alpha(1)-globulin, alpha(2) -globulin, beta-globulin, gamma-globulin, and alpha-lipoprotein (high density lipoprotein), pre-beta-lipoprotein (very low density lipoprotein) and beta-lipoprotein (low density lipoprotein) fractions of normal ostriches (Struthio camelus) in Turkey. Five male and five female ostriches, 18 months old, were used. All the ostriches were fed on a diet that contained 15.14% crude protein and 2 950 Kcal/kg of metabolizable energy. The serum protein and lipoprotein fractions were measured using agarose gel electrophoresis. The fractions were found to be 60.96% albumin, 0.24% alpha(1)-globulin, 15.91% alpha(2)-globulin, 13.34 % beta-globulin, 9.55 % gamma-globulin, 53.77 % HDL, 0.60 % VLDL and 48.09 % LDL.