EXAMINATION OF THE TOTAL PROTEIN-CONCENTR ATION AND THE GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSFERASE (GAMMA-GT) IN CALVES DURING THE FIRST 14 DAYS OF LIFE AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE FOR PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE HEALTH-STATUS IN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS AFTER BIRTH

The objective of the present paper was to examine the development of t he total protein concentration in blood serum and the gamma-GT activit y in 49 calves in relation to the health status during the first 14 da ys of life. For this purpose, blood samples were taken immediately aft er birth of the animals, after 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours and from then on wards once a day with the calves being subject to a thorough clinical examination each time. All calves received pooled colostrum. At the en d of the experiment, the calves were subdivided into three groups on t he basis of their health status, i.e. control calves, calves with a sl ight or moderately severe disease and calves suffering from a severe d isease. In all three groups the total protein concentration increased significantly after the colostrum intake and decreased slowly from the 2nd day of life onwards. The gamma-GT activity as well increased sign ificantly after the colostrum intake and decreased rapidly after 12th hour of life and progressively in the further course of the experiment . Both parameters varied considerably from one calf to the next and no statistically significant differences in these parameters between the three groups could be found. It can thus be deduced that the total pr otein concentration in blood serum and the gamma-GT activity do not al low any predictions about the development of the health status during the first 14 days of life to be made.