Dependence of haematological and chemical blood parameters on the age of healthy lambs - definition of reference values in sheep

Haematological and biochemical examinations were carried out in 284 clinica lly healthy lambs aged from birth to nine month. The 122 male and 164 femal e animals belonged to the following breeds: German blackheaded mutton sheep (n = 114), Merino (n = 21), Frisian milksheep (n = 98), Texel (n = 31), Be ntheimer landrace (n = 16) and Leine sheep (n = 5). The lambs were selected from a larger number of probationers by use of outlier tests. No differences were found between sexes for any of examined parameters. For the period from two to eight weeks of age breed differences could be prove n for glutamate dehydrogenase and creatinin. Many parameters showed a stron g dependence on the age of the lambs in a linear or polynomial function. Wh ile lymphocytes, protein, urea, creatinin, 3-hydroxybutyrate and copper inc reased, bilirubin, glucose, calcium, inorganic phosphate and the activities of alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl-transferase decreased with age. Body weight had no influence on any examined parameter within the age depe ndence. Reference values (limits) are defined for healthy lambs and for hea lthy ewes, summarized from former studies.