The impact of Ig G levels on routine clinical biochemistry parameters i

Summary The minimisation of neonatal mortality is critical for the success of an animal management programme. The period between calving and weaning is the most important period in the animals life. A major management tool that could be used to reduce health problems in calves is feeding with colostrum. Colostrum is rich in energy, protein and vitamins (especially vitamins A, D, E and B12). Most importantly, colostrum is essential for newborns, in that it contains high levels of immunoglobulins, which send passive immunity to the calf, and thereby, enable it to fight with infections. The aim of the present study was to fall the correlation between serum Ig G levels and routine biochemical parameters in neonatal Holstein calves given colostrum. For this purpose, serum was extracted from blood samples collected from 79 calves at heart 24-48 hours of calving. The passive transfer status of the calves was determined by measuring the Ig G content of serum by ELISA. Based on their serum Ig G levels, the calves were divided into 3 groups (insufficient n=13 partial n=14 and normal passive transfer n=52). Serum ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, LDH activities and serum BUN, creatinine, albumin, wide protein, total bilirubin, triglyceride, cholesterol, and glucose levels were analysed. A statistically significant increase was determined in the serum GGT activity and total protein and urea levels of calves with normal passive immunity transfer by colostrum, compared to the other passive transfer groups (p0.05).Key words Colostrum, Passive Transfer, Calf, Clinical BiochemistryIntroductionThe minimisation of neonat... ...Passive transfer of colostral immunglobulins in calves. J Vet detain Med 14 569-57710.Willard MD, Tvedten H (2004) Small animal clinical diagnosis by laboratory methods. Saunders, MO, USA.11.Wilson LK, Tyler JW, Besser TE, Parish SM, Gant R (1999) Prediction of Serum IgG1 concentration in beef calves base on age and serum gamma-glutamyl transferase activity . J Vet Intern Med 13123-12512.Zanker IA, Hammon MH, Blum WJ (2001) Activities of -glutamyltransferase, alkaline phosphatase and aspartate-aminotransferase in colostrum, milk and blood plasma of calves fed first colostrum at 02, 67,1213 and 2425h after birth. J Vet Med 48 179-18513.Zarilli A, Micera E, Lacarpia N, Lombardi P, Pero ME, Pelagalli A, Angelo D, Mattia M, Avallone L (2003) Evaluation of goat colostrum quality by determining enzyme activity levels. Livest Prod Sci 83 317-320