Use of selected parameters in the serum and blood of calves in the evaluation of nitrogen and energy metabolism

: Concentrations of total proteins, albumin, total serum immunoglobulins, urea and total lipids in the blood serum and glucose concentrations in the blood were investigated in the periods of milk nutrition and weaning, and the results were evaluated with respect to their differences from the range of reference values. Concentrations of total proteins (TP) in the blood serum significantly decreased if the starting values at the age of two weeks (65, 45 g/l) were compared with the values at the age of five weeks, and they began to increase to the age of 11 weeks. The average TP values at the age of 11 weeks were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than the starting values (Fig. 1, Tab. I). TP concentrations were above the upper limit of the reference range since weaning (nine weeks of age). Subnormal TP values were recorded in individual animals at the age of two, five weeks, at weaning, at 11 weeks in the animals on all-vegetable diet in 4.8%, 19.1%, 4.8% and 9.5% of the calves, respectively (Fig. 2). The albumin concentrations were increasing from the age of five weeks but the changes in the values were statistically insignificant and the average values remained in the reference range (Fig. 1). The reduced albumin concentrations were recorded in individual animals in 28.6% of the calves at the age of two weeks, in 19.1% of the calves at the age of five weeks, in 42.9% of the calves at weaning, and in 38.1% at the age of 11 weeks. The concentrations of total serum immunoglobulins (TS-Ig) were increasing since the animal collection with their growing age (Fig. 1) while in comparison with the starting values the increases were significant at the age of five weeks (p < 0.05), nine and eleven weeks (p < 0.01). The average TS-Ig values rose to the reference range at the age of five weeks. In individual animals, the reduced TS-Ig values were recorded in the serum at the age of two weeks in 71.4% of calves, at the age of five weeks in 42.9%, at weaning in 33.3% and at the age of 11 weeks it was only in 9.5% of the calves (Fig. 2). The urea concentration in the serum was decreasing from the age of five weeks to weaning. In comparison with the starting values, the differences in the average values were statistically insignificant and the average values remained within the reference range (Fig. 1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)