Abstract
The article provides a comparative assessment of certain hematological parameters of blood during caudotomy performed by different methods in Akzhaik meat-and-wool lambs. The experiment included 40 lambs divided into two groups: in the first group, caudotomy was performed surgically, while in the second group it was carried out by elastration using rubber rings. Hemoglobin, erythrocytes, platelets, and leukocytes in the blood were studied dynamically (before the operation, and on days 1, 2, 5, 7, and 10 after the procedure). The obtained data were processed using standard biometric methods. The study established that the surgical method of caudotomy was accompanied by a sharp increase in hemoglobin and erythrocytes during the first day after the operation, a significant rise in platelet count, and physiological leukocytosis. In animals of the second group (elastration), the changes were less pronounced and more stable. By day 10, the indicators in both groups tended toward normalization, although hematological shifts persisted longer in the first group. The results indicate that elastration is a less traumatic method compared to traditional surgical caudotomy. It reduces the intensity of stress responses, promotes faster stabilization of hematological parameters, and decreases the load on the hematopoietic and hemostatic systems. The obtained data can be used in veterinary surgery and sheep farming practice to select the optimal method of caudotomy, minimize postoperative complications, and improve animal productivity. The proposed elastration method ensures a lower level of hematological stress responses, making it more preferable under conditions of intensive livestock production.