Automatic analysis to assess haematological parameters in farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758)

The haematological parameters (RBC, Hb, PCV, WBC, TC, MCV, MCH, and MCHC) in farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) were measured using an automatic method. We then compared the outcomes using the traditional manual method. After blood collection (T0), all samples were immediately analyzed using both the manual and automatic methods. The samples were successively divided into five different aliquots and stored at +4 degrees C to evaluate the effect of the storage time on haematological parameters, measured with the automatic method, at 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after collection. Paired t-tests were applied between the values obtained at T0 with the manual and automatic methods and no statistical difference was observed. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that parameters measured with the automatic system were significantly affected by the storage time (p < 0.0001). These results provide an innovative automatic method for the determination of haematological parameters in sea bream and suggest that the haematological profile can be accurately assessed within 6 h from blood collection.