Evaluation and establishment of reference intervals using the i-STAT1 blood chemistry analyzer in turkeys

In veterinary medicine, point-of-care testing techniques have become popular, since they provide immediate results and only small amounts of blood are needed. The handheld i-STAT1 blood analyzer is used by poultry researchers and veterinarians; however, no studies have evaluated the accuracy of this analyzer determined reference intervals in turkey blood. The objectives of this study were to 1) investigate the effect of storage time on turkey blood analytes, 2) compare the results obtained by the i-STAT1 analyzer to those obtained by the GEM Premier 3000, a conventional laboratory analyzer, and 3) establish reference intervals for blood gases and chemistry analytes in growing turkeys using the i-Stat. For the first and second objectives, we used the CG8+ i-STAT1 cartridges to test blood from 30 healthy turkeys in triplicate and once with the conventional analyzer. To establish the reference intervals, we tested a total 330 blood samples from healthy turkeys from 6 independent flocks during a 3-yr period. Blood samples were then divided into brooder (<1 wk) and growing (1–12 wk of age). Friedman's test demonstrated significant time-dependent changes in blood gas analytes, but not for electrolytes. Bland-Altman analysis revealed that there was agreement between the i-STAT1 and the GEM Premier 300 for most of the analytes. However, Passing-Bablok regression analysis identified constant and proportional biases in the measurement of multiple analytes. Tukey's test revealed significant differences in the whole blood analytes between the means of brooding and growing birds. The data presented in the present study provide a basis for measuring and interpreting blood analytes in the brooding and growing stages of the turkey lifecycle, offering a new approach to health monitoring in growing turkeys.