Studies on haemoglobin polymorphism of two breeds of Iranian sheep and its relationship to concentrations of iron, copper, haemoglobin, haematocrit and RBC number.

After electrophoresis on cellulose acetate, two haemoglobin phenotypes were detected in Baloochi and Kordi breeds: AA and AB phenotypes. AA was commonest in two breeds. The incidence of type AB haemoglobin in Baloochi and Kordi breeds was 26.5% (9/34) and 9.5% (2/21), respectively. BB phenotype was not seen in Baloochi and Kordi breeds. In sheep with AB phenotype, haemoglobin B was dominant. The mean +/- SD of the two kinds of haemoglobin in sheep with AB phenotype were haemoglobin B percentage 60.5% +/- 9.04%, haemoglobin B absolute 73.84 +/- 5.44 g/L, haemoglobin A percentage 39.5% +/- 9.04%, haemoglobin A absolute 32.88 +/- 2.89 g/L. There were no significant differences for total haemoglobin, haematocrit, red blood cell (RBC) number, iron and copper levels between breed, sex and age groups and also between sheep with AA phenotype and AB phenotype. Pearson's method showed significant correlations for total haemoglobin with packed cell volume (PCV), RBC number, copper concentration and RBC number with PCV, copper level and PCV with copper amount and copper concentration with iron level (p<0.05). In the Kordi breed, significant correlations were seen for total haemoglobin with PCV, RBC number, copper concentration and PCV with RBC number and RBC number with copper level and copper concentration with iron amount (p<0.05). In the Baloochi breed, significant correlations were detected for total haemoglobin with PCV, RBC number and PCV with RBC number (p<0.05).