EVALUATION OF CERTAIN METABOLIC AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN CROSSBRED CALVES FED WITH RUMEN UNDEGRADABLE SOYABEAN MEAL

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Date
2002
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COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR
Abstract
Protecting niminal feed proteins by formaldehyde treatment decreased their solubility and degradation in the rumen, eventually resulted in an increased availability of post-ruminal amino acids and this could be exploited for enhancing the growth rate of young ruminants as crossbred calves. Post natal growth in ruminants is chiefly influenced by the metabolic hormones, whose secretions are, in tum, regulated by the circulating levels of critical amino acids. Hence, the objective of the present study was to determine and correlate the levels of certain metabolic hormones and other related haematological cum biochemical parameters in growing crossbred calves, fed with concentrate ration supplemented with untreated and formaldehyde treated soyabean meal. Twelve numbers of female crossbred calves of six months of age of the University Livestock Farm, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, were divided in to two groups, viz.. Group I and Group II, with six calves in each group. One third of the quantity of concentrate ration to be given to each animal was replaced by raw soyabean meal (solvent extracted) in animals of Group I and 1% formaldehyde treated soyabean meal in animals of Group II, during the experimental period of 90 days (180 to 270 d of age). Drinking water and roughage were provided ad libitum. All the animals were maintained under standard managemental conditions. Fortnightly body weight of all the animals were recorded during the entire period of study. Blood samples were collected from all animals of both groups at the initial phase of experiment (180 d), thereafter on every 14 days as well as one month after the end of the experiment (300 d). The blood samples were analysed for blood glucose level (BGL) and haematological parameters like haemoglobin content, total erythrocyte count and total leucocyte count, volume of packed red blood corpuscles and erythrocytic indices using standard procedures. The serum was subjected for the estimation of biochemical parameters such as concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, total lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids (NETA), urea nitrogen, creatinine and bilirubin employing commercial kits. Hormonal traits like thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) and insulin were also evaluated using radioimmuno assays. On analysing the proximate principles of various concentrates, it was found that both the groups received increased dietary protein intake and particularly animals of Group II, through protected proteins. Animals of Group II recorded a higher daily weight gain of 352.731 g/animal/day in comparison to 327.460 g/animal/day of animals of Group I. The haematological parameters screened revealed a persistently increasing trend, with non-significant differences between groups. This upstream trend may be associated with an increased body weight gam of the animals and hence, with an increased requirement. Serum concentrations of total protein and albumin pursued an increasing trend in both groups with non significant differences between them. This signified the elevated protein status of the animals with positive nitrogen balance. Moreover, there appears to be a direct correlation between albumin turn-over and body size (Kaneko et al, 1997). Serum globulin concentration revealed fluctuating yet an increasing trend in calves of both groups, suggesting an increased hepatic synthesis of a and p portions of globulins. A continuous upstream trend was evident in serum total lipids, cholesterol content and triglycerides concentration of calves of both the groups during the trial period, indicating an increased requirement of these constituents as membrane constituents and as energy reserve, for the build up of body size and weight. Increased insulin release stimulated by increased availability of post ruminal amino acids would have favoured an increased triglycerides synthesis. Decreasing trend in serum NEFA status of both the groups signified the reduced lipolysis for energy purpose with increased dietary protein intake. Blood glucose level of calves of both groups revealed a pertinent increasing trend, elaborating the increased energy demands for the enhanced growth process. An increasing trend in serum urea nitrogen concentrations observed in calves of both the groups might be due to deammation and conversion into urea of excess protein in calves of both groups fed over and above the actual requirement. Serum levels of creatinine and bilirubin in both groups of animals showed a decreasing trend which may be attributed to the fine balance in their level by increased protein supplementation. Serum concentrations of hormones as T4, T3 and insulin exhibited an increasing trend in calves of both the groups. Increasing trend in insulin concentration demonstrated a positive relationship between amino acid absorption and insulin release and might have promoted protein anabolism resulting in an increased body size with positive nitrogen balance. The increased metabolic demand for oxygen associated with the increased body size might have resulted in an increased synthesis and release of thyroid hormones, with significant (p<0.05) differences between groups. The fluctuating T4:T3 ratios in both the groups corresponded to the episodic release of the hormones. Results of the present study substantiate that increased dietary proteins had brought about elevated protein anabolism and associated haematological, biochemical and hormonal changes in growing crossbred calves offered with concentrate ration supplemented with rumen protected soyabean meal and this was certainly having an advantage in the crossbred calves over the calves provided with increased rumen degradable proteins. Since protein supplements are generally the most expensive ingredients in ruminant rations, thus there is an interest in maximizing their utilization. (h 0
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