Abstract
Abstract. The aim of the present study was to measure the serum total proteins and the serum protein fractions (albumin, α1-, α2-, β-, and γ- globulins) of ten newborn lambs (Comisana breed) during the first 30 days of life in order to obtain useful information for neonatal care. From each animal, blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture at the same hour (9.00) every 3 days for 30 days starting from birth (day 0). The concentrations of serum total proteins and albumin, α1-, α2-, β-, γ- globulins, and Albumin/Globulins (A/G) ratio were determined using an automated electrophoresis system. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Bonferroni’s test, was used to determine significant differences between mean values of the studied parameters from the 1st to the 30th day of the experimental period. Data analysis of variance showed a statistical effect of days of life on total proteins, albumin, α1-globulins, β-globulins, γ-globulins and ratio A/G during the first 30 days of life (P<0.0001), while no statistical significant effect of days of life was observed on α2-globulins during the experimental period (P=0.27). The obtained results indicated that passive transfer status, determined from serum immunoglobulin concentration 24 hours after birth, is a significant source of variation in preweaning growth performance in dairy lambs. These finding make a contribution to the knowledge of physiological adaptation in lambs during the first 30 days of life and give useful information for the diagnosis and treatment of neonatal diseases.
Highlights
The neonatal period, known as »adaptive period«, is a transition phase during which all organ functions must adapt to the extra-uterine life
Factors often associated with the risk of mortality in lambs are birth-weight, the serum immunoglobulin concentration (Christley et al 2003) and the lambs' sex
An abnormal serum protein profile could be identified with various disease processes and in this way provides the rationale for further definitive studies of the patient (Alberghina et al 2010)
Summary
The neonatal period, known as »adaptive period«, is a transition phase during which all organ functions must adapt to the extra-uterine life. Ovine neonates are relatively mature at birth with adequate thermoregulation and an active mechanism to compensate for physiological acid-base imbalances (Vannucchi et al 2012), lambs' mortality rate is generally higher than in other farm species and reaches a peak during the perinatal period (Eales et al 1983, Purvis et al 1985, Nowak et al 2000). Many studies have investigated the causes for lambs' death, which can be broadly categorized as relating to the birth process, neonatal adaptation to postnatal life, functional disorders or infectious disease (Dwyer 2008). The most satisfactory way of providing the newborn with immunity against diseases is to ensure that it gets a large quantity of good quality ewe colostrum in early life because this transfers antibodies from the mother to the young (Napolitano et al 2002, Nowak & Poindron 2006). The laboratory evaluation of serum protein concentration and protein fractions, typically parts of both basic haematology and biochemistry testing in animals, often provides important information that can be helpful in narrowing the list of diagnostic possibilities
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