**3.9 Creatinin**

Creatinin is synthesised at endogen metabolism in muscles. Creatinin is excreted with urine; its concentration in serum does not depend from the nutrition. Diagnostically it is important for the assessment of functioning of the glomerular system in the kidneys, but it concentration increase only at serious damage (Kraft & Dürr, 1999b). In calves after birth very high serum concentration of creatinin was established (256 ± 106 μmol/L), the value normalised to the 4th day of age (108 ± 28 μmol/L) (Klee, 1985). Similar was established by Maach et al. (1991), and after 15th day of age they observed increase of creatinin concentration to the age of 60 days when it was 146.7 ± 23.9 μmol/L. In the research of Mohri et al. (2007) the concentration of creatinin in Holstein calves decreased from 1st to the 70th day of age.

#### **3.10 Total Serum Protein (TSP)**

The absorption of proteins which are degraded into amino acids takes place in small intestine. The main source of proteins in ruminants is microbe synthesis in the rumen. In liver the majority of body's own proteins are synthesised. Albumins (Alb) are proteins in blood plasma which are synthesised in the liver. Other part of plasma proteins are globulins which are produced by the immune system. Albumins carry 75% of osmotic activity in plasma and they serve as transport proteins in metabolic processes. Globulins can be divided into three fractions with help of electrophoresis. In α fraction there are proteins of acute phase of inflammation (haptogobin, serum amyloid A). In β fraction are parts of complement (C3 and C4), transferin, C reactive protein and partly also some immunoglobulin (IgA, IgM). Gamma fraction consists of immunoglobulin (Kaneko, 1997). Measuring of concentration of TSP and quantity of albumin and globulin is very important in diagnostics of numerous diseases and disturbances in functioning of organism.

The concentration of TSP and proportion between albumin and globulin is changing with age. Usually the calves have lower concentration of TSP (50-70 g/L) as adult animals (60-80 g/L) (Kraft & Dürr, 1999c). Pregnancy, lactation, nutrition and inflammation can influence on TSP concentration (Kaneko, 1997). In calves after birth the TSP concentration is almost for a half lower than in cows (45.8 g/L), after colostrum intake the concentration increases (54.5 g/L), but is still lower than in adult animals. Numerous studies found correlation between TSP and concentration of immunoglobulin in calves' serum. Measuring of TSP concentration in the 1st week of age can be used as indirect indicator of colostrum supply (Tyler et al., 1998; Tyler et al., 1996a; Selim et al. 1995).

urea concentration from 40th to 80th day of age. Hanschke and Schulz (1982) established higher values of urea in the age 31-60 days in calves in subtropical climate, where the concentration of urea was 5.14 mmol/L. In calves with diarrhoea at the age 4-15 days twice as high mean urea concentration (7.98 mmol/L) in plasma was established as in healthy calves of the same age (3.89 mmol/L) (Maach et al., 1992). The authors claimed that measuring of urea concentration is very helpful for assessment of dehydration and disturbances of acid-base balance in calves with diarrhoea. Hugi et al. (1997) ascertained association between protein amount in forage and serum urea concentration in calves at the

Creatinin is synthesised at endogen metabolism in muscles. Creatinin is excreted with urine; its concentration in serum does not depend from the nutrition. Diagnostically it is important for the assessment of functioning of the glomerular system in the kidneys, but it concentration increase only at serious damage (Kraft & Dürr, 1999b). In calves after birth very high serum concentration of creatinin was established (256 ± 106 μmol/L), the value normalised to the 4th day of age (108 ± 28 μmol/L) (Klee, 1985). Similar was established by Maach et al. (1991), and after 15th day of age they observed increase of creatinin concentration to the age of 60 days when it was 146.7 ± 23.9 μmol/L. In the research of Mohri et al. (2007) the concentration of creatinin in Holstein calves decreased from 1st to the

The absorption of proteins which are degraded into amino acids takes place in small intestine. The main source of proteins in ruminants is microbe synthesis in the rumen. In liver the majority of body's own proteins are synthesised. Albumins (Alb) are proteins in blood plasma which are synthesised in the liver. Other part of plasma proteins are globulins which are produced by the immune system. Albumins carry 75% of osmotic activity in plasma and they serve as transport proteins in metabolic processes. Globulins can be divided into three fractions with help of electrophoresis. In α fraction there are proteins of acute phase of inflammation (haptogobin, serum amyloid A). In β fraction are parts of complement (C3 and C4), transferin, C reactive protein and partly also some immunoglobulin (IgA, IgM). Gamma fraction consists of immunoglobulin (Kaneko, 1997). Measuring of concentration of TSP and quantity of albumin and globulin is very important

in diagnostics of numerous diseases and disturbances in functioning of organism.

The concentration of TSP and proportion between albumin and globulin is changing with age. Usually the calves have lower concentration of TSP (50-70 g/L) as adult animals (60-80 g/L) (Kraft & Dürr, 1999c). Pregnancy, lactation, nutrition and inflammation can influence on TSP concentration (Kaneko, 1997). In calves after birth the TSP concentration is almost for a half lower than in cows (45.8 g/L), after colostrum intake the concentration increases (54.5 g/L), but is still lower than in adult animals. Numerous studies found correlation between TSP and concentration of immunoglobulin in calves' serum. Measuring of TSP concentration in the 1st week of age can be used as indirect indicator of colostrum supply (Tyler et al.,

age 8 to 15 weeks.

**3.9 Creatinin** 

70th day of age.

**3.10 Total Serum Protein (TSP)** 

1998; Tyler et al., 1996a; Selim et al. 1995).

The concentration of albumin decreased after colostrum intake (27.5 g/L), and was approximately on the lower limit of reference values for adult cattle (Steinhardt et al., 1993; Kurz & Willet, 1991). In calves, which received colostrum, higher concentration of TSP was established, as in calves which received only milk replacer, what is associated with immunoglobulin absorption in the first ones (Muri et al., 2005). The concentration of TSP and albumin is influenced with nutrition of calves and functioning of the liver. The albumins are predominantly synthesised in the liver, so their amount depends on maturity and functional ability of the liver (Steinhardt & Thilescher, 2000c). Hypoalbuminemia in calves could be the consequence of liver damage or protein catabolism at long lasting diarrhoeas (Jazbec, 1990). In calves at the age from 8 to 15 weeks statistically significant differences in albumin concentration were established when they received meals with different amount of proteins (Hugi et al. 1997). Hammon et al. (2002) compared the calves which received limited or unlimited amounts of milk and established significantly lower albumin concentration in calves, to the age of 28 days, which were fed with unlimited amount of milk. Lower concentration of albumin in healthy animals could be the consequence of insufficient supply with amino acids (Whitaker, 1997). In calves from the 5th to the 40th day of age the concentration of TSP decreased slightly, after the 60th day it increased again and was 55.7 g/L. The concentration of albumin gradually increased from the 5th to the 60th respectively the 80th day of age (Steinhardt & Thielscher, 2000d; Knowles et al., 2000). In sucker calves gradual increase of TSP and albumin concentration was established from birth to the age of two months. The values of both variables were higher than in calves which were fed with limited amounts of milk (Steinhardt & Thielscher, 2000b).

#### **3.11 Inorganic Phosphate (iP)**

The absorption of iP is taking place in the forestomacs and in the front part of the small intestine. The iP is excreted with faeces and urine in cows in lactation also with milk. Phosphorus is important for normal growth and mineralization of bones. In the skeleton of adult animals is stored approximately 80% of all phosphorus in the body, which could be mobilised at need. The rest 20% of phosphorus is in soft tissues and body fluids where it collaborates in numerous important processes. It is the ingredient of deoxi- and ribonucleinacids, as phospholipids it is the part of cell membranes, as phosphate is important by regulation of osmotic and acid-base balance in the organism. Phosphorus has an important role in metabolism of energy, where it collaborates by transport of energy and fatty acids, synthesis of amino acids and proteins and working of Na/K pump (Underwood & Suttle, 2001). The serum concentration of iP is higher in young animals because the growth hormone increases the reabsorption of phosphate in the kidney (Rosol & Capen, 1997). In the rumen the phosphate is working as buffer for volatile fatty acids and as substrate for microorganisms. In ruminants with phosphorus deficiency, lower microbe synthesis of proteins in rumen is established. Phosphorus is important for the control of appetite and efficiently use of nutrients (Underwood & Suttle, 2001). By decrease of iP concentration in serum, increase the activity of ALP. Phosphorus deficiency in young animals causes the lost of appetite and retarded growth. In rachitic calves and lambs the concentration of iP is decreased for 30-50 % (Jazbec, 1990). Normal plasma concentration of iP in calves should be 1.3-1.9 mmol/L and 1.0-1.5 mmol/L in adult cattle (Underwood & Suttle, 2001). Kraft (1999b) claimed slightly higher values in calves serum namely; at the age until 2 months 2.6- 3.5 mmol/L, from 2 to 6 months it should be 2.5-3.1 mmol/L and from 12 to 18 months the

Values of Blood Variables in Calves 311

calves. In calves with diarrhoea comes to hyperkalemia which is connected with grade of

The colostrum intake influence on increase of K concentration in calves' serum, what is most likely, the consequence of higher amount of this mineral in the colostrum (Steinhardt et al., 1993). In the age from 1 week to 2-3 months the K concentration in calves' serum almost did not change and was around 5 mmol/L (Maach et al. 1991). Bouda and Jagoš (1984) measured slightly higher values, around 5.4 ± 0.4 mmol/L, at the age of 6 month K concentration slightly decreased to 4.7 ± 0.4 mmol/L. Reece (1980) Established a decrease of K concentration from the 1st week of age when it was 7.2 mmol/L to the age of 15 weeks when it fell to 4.4 mmol/L.

The sodium is the most important cation in extracellular fluid, where it is responsible for maintenance of osmotic pressure. Together with chlorine (Cl) collaborates in metabolism of water and regulation of acid-base balance in the organism (Jazbec, 1990). In ruminants a big part of Na which comes in to digestive tract originates from saliva (rotation in the organism). The rumen could contain up to 50% of whole amount of Na which is available for the organism. From the body is excreted with the urine, faeces and milk (Underwood & Suttle, 2001). At diarrhoeas the calves lose higher amounts of Na. Maach et al. (1992) established significantly lower concentration of Na in serum of calves with acute diarrhoea (131.2 ± 7.2 mmol/L) in comparison to healthy calves of same age (140.0 ± 9.9 mmol/L). In newborn calves after colostrum intake the Na concentration increased what was attributed to absorption from the colostrum (Steinhardt et al., 1993). But Maach et al. (1991) established higher concentration of Na before colostrum intake when it was 145.7 ± 3.7 mmol/L as then after (137.8 ± 6.8 mmol/L), later it almost did not change. The concentration of Na did not change a lot in the first three months, it was about 145 mmol/L, and at the age of 6 months it was slightly lower, about 136.6 ± 5.1 mmol/L (Bouda & Jagoš, 1984). Reece (1980) established higher concentration of Na in serum of calves which received milk replacer in

Chlorine is the most important anion in the extracellular fluid, inside the cells there is only 12% of total amount in organism. Together with Na it is responsible for maintenance of osmotic pressure in extracellular fluid. Chlorine is absorbed in small intestine, and is excreted mainly through the kidney (Wirth, 1999). The calves with acute diarrhoea, in which the volume of faeces can increase for 40 times, with the fluid lose also electrolytes. In such calves significantly lower concentration of Cl was established (95.6 ± 6.9 mmol/L) in

In calves immediately after birth higher concentration of Cl was established (107.3 ± 12.3 mmol/L), then it decreased to the 7th day of age to 95.9 ± 6.6 mmol/L, later it increased slightly to 102.3 ± 6.2 mmol/L at the age of 2 months (Maach et al., 1991). In suckler calves the concentration of Cl increased with age from 98.0 mmol/L in the 1st week of age to 102.4 mmol/L at the age of 14 weeks (Reece, 1984). In calves which were fed with limited amounts of milk the increase of Cl concentration was established to the age of 5 weeks, later

comparison to healthy calves (103.3 ± 6.9 mmol/L) (Maach et al., 1992).

it decreased slightly and oscillated between 97.7 and 99.3 mmol/L (Reece, 1980).

acidosis (Maach et al., 1992).

**3.14 Sodium (Na)** 

**3.15 Chlorine (Cl)** 

comparison to the calves which were fed with milk.

concentrations are on the level of adult animals (1.6-2.3 mmol/L). The colostrum intake did not influence the iP concentration in calves' serum (Steinhardt et al., 1993). Kurz and Willett (1991) established decrease of iP concentration in first 24 hours of age. In sucker calves the increase of iP concentration in the first 14 days was established later it remained stable. The values were all the time higher as in adult animals (Egli & Blum, 1998). At the age of 60 days the concentration of iP in calves' serum was 2.6 mmol/L (Steinhardt & Thielscher, 2000d).
