Species specific conditions in husbandry and physiological functions of animals. Development quality and adaptation in suckler calves from the mothercow herd and in feeder-fed dairy calves from the German Red Pied breed

On suckler calves (SK) of the mother cow herd and on feeder-fed calves (TK) from German Red Pied breed growth criteria and other physiological variabl es were investigated at specific age points and the results were used for a n assessment of adaptation and development quality of the animals. Growth r ate and body weight (KM) of SK were greater than in TK at the first months of life. Between birth weight and body weight at specific age points existe d a strong positive correlation in TK, in SK this correlation could be foun d only at 10 days of age. Body temperature, heart rate and creatinin concen tration were lying at all age points and total protein and albumin concentr ation were lying in many cases significantly higher and the plasma -Fe and Mg concentration, Hb, Hk and MCHC significantly lower in SK than in TK. Sig nificant mean differences of some variables between the years could be foun d in SK. The changes of the variables between the age points showed strong correlations with the initial values at the first days of life. These chang es were individually different concerning the direction and degree and they had different time courses in calves of the two husbandry systems. At life age of 90 days adaptation of most animals has been mostly completed and so interindividual variation became obviously smaller Correlations between bi ochemical and hematological variables and the criteria of growth performanc e in SK came up to highest degrees between 40 and 70 days of age expressing greater differences of development of animals at this life age.