Summary
Potassium and sodium concentrations and their ratios, and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentrations were estimated in the blood of 469 sheep of three breeds and their crosses. Some breed differences were statistically significant but cross breed values were like the means of the parental breeds.
Estimates for the effects of the genotypes Ka (potassium level) and Hb (haemoglobin type), breeding, age, sex and management, and sample batch were isolated. The haemoglobin genotypes influenced the MCHC through variation in packed cell volume. The potassium genotypes had no such effect. After adjustment the estimates for red cell sodium were shown to be complementary to estimates for red cell potassium.
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Hall, J., Hunter, E. The effects of Ka and Hb genotypes on blood electrolytes and haemoglobin in sheep. Heredity 31, 325–337 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1973.89
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1973.89