Volume 59 (2009) Issue: 2009 No#4

Influence of age on profile of serum proteins in the calf

Author(s): Piccione G, Casella Stefania, Giannetto Claudia, Vazzana Irene, Niutta PP, Giudice Elisabetta

Keywords:electrophoretic parameters, calf, neonatal period, perinatal period, total proteins

The authors studied the course of serum proteins during the first week and the first month of life in the calf in order to obtain useful information for neonatal care. Eight Limousine calves, four males and four females, clinically healthy, were used. From all animals blood samples were collected from the external jugular vein from the day after the birth every day for one week and every five days for thirty days. Blood samples were taken at the same hour (09:00), and the serum concentrations of albumin, globulins (
1-globulins,
2-globulins, - globulins, -globulins) and total proteins were determined by means of automated multiparametric agarose gel electrophoresis system. Oneway repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Bonferroni's test, was used to determine significant differences. Data analysis of variance showed a significant effect of days of life, with p < 0.05, only on albumin,
1-globulins and
2-globulins during the first month of life. These results confirm that despite the fact that newborns must adapt to various environmental factors after birth, including nutrition that can influence the serum protein profile during neonatal period, the evaluation of electrophoretic's parameters during the first months of life results useful for the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal diseases.