Influence of age and breed on the binding of oxygen to red blood cells of bovine calves

Abstract

The influence of somatic growth and genetic selection on the whole blood oxygen equilibrium curve (OEC) was measured under standard conditions in double-muscled and dairy calves during their first 3 mo of life. Crossbreed animals were also investigated. Hemoglobin, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG), Cl, and Pi concentrations were also measured. The percentage of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) was determined. The influence of exogenous Cl, Pi, and pH on the OEC was also assessed. The PO2 at 50% hemoglobin saturation (P50) increased during somatic growth, probably because of the increase in DPG recorded in double-muscled neonates and to the progressive disappearance of HbF in both breeds. The oxygen exchange fraction (OEF%) was used to assess the combined influence of the OEC shift and OEC shape changes on blood oxygen desaturation under standard conditions, when the PO2 decreases within a physiological range. The OEF% showed an increase during the first month, then a stabilization. The effects of Cl, Pi, and pH in Friesian calves were similar as in adult cattle. Double-muscled neonates had a lower P50, OEF% values, and DPG concentrations and higher hemoglobin and Cl concentrations than Friesian neonates. The Pi concentration and the percentage of HbF were similar in both breeds. The pH and the Cl concentration had significantly less effect on the OEC in double-muscled than in Friesian calves. Crossbreed animals exhibited intermediate parameter values, between those recorded for double-muscled and Friesian calves. All differences between breeds progressively disappeared during the first month. These data show that blood function changes markedly in calves during the first month of life and that genetic selection can alter blood function.

Establishing blood gas ranges in healthy bovine neonates differentiated by age, sex, and breed type

“…Adopting current blood gas reference ranges for healthy adult cattle (Divers and Peek, 2007;Stämpfli et al, 2012; to assess any blood gas derangements in neonates may be unwise, as differences exist between the ranges presented here and for adult bovines (Divers and Peek, 2007;Stämpfli et al, 2012;). This agrees with previous studies, which outlined similar findings regarding standard ranges for neonates (Rice, 1994;Gustin et al, 1997;Lorenz et al, 2005;Sayers et al, 2016).…”

“…Age was shown to have the most significant effect on blood gas variables. It has been demonstrated previously that immediately after a eutocic birth all calves display a minor metabolic-respiratory acidosis (Rice, 1994;Herfen and Bostedt, 1999), with pH values increasing during the first month of life to reach standard adult values (Gustin et al, 1997;Cambier et al, 2000). In the assessment of age as an independent variable in our study, a single cut-off point of 10 d was applied, which was based on the median point of the data and preliminary evidence of significant group differences between the groups for blood gas variables pH and HCO 3 − .…”

“…Although these have been used extensively and successfully in adult cattle, applying adult ranges to young calves can be misleading due to the blood gas changes that are associated with normal prepubertal physiological development (Rice, 1994;Herfen and Bostedt, 1999;Knowles et al, 2000;Detry et al, 2003). Several studies have indicated significant differences between the physiology of young and adult cattle, particularly for serum pH, bicarbonate (HCO 3 − ), base excess (BE), anion gap (AG), and strong ion difference (SID; Adams and Polzin, 1989;Gustin et al, 1997;Lorenz et al, 2005;Koch and Kaske, 2008). Furthermore, genetic (breed type), age, and environmental factors influence hematological and biochemical values in healthy animals (Sayers et al, 2016).…”

Blood oxygen binding in hypoxaemic calves

“…In hypoxaemic calves, acidosis may thus have counterbalanced the effects of hypoxaemia on 2,3-DPG synthesis. This lack of alteration of 2,3-DPG concentration might explain that the standard P50 remains unchanged in hypoxaemic calves, 2,3-DPG acting as a regulator of hemoglobin oxygen affinity in calves [6,19]. Indeed, in healthy double-muscled calves aged from 1 to 26 days, the relationship between P50 std (in mm Hg) and the 2,3-DPG concentration (in µmol/g Hb) was equal to: P50 std = 17.5 + 0.33 × 2,3-DPG [6].…”

Wachstum und Entwicklungsqualität von Milchrindkälbern in Gruppenhaltung mit Tränkeautomatenfütterung. Physiologische Variablen und deren Änderungen in spezifischen Altersperioden

“…Für die Festlegung von Grenzwerten physiologischer Variablen in Verbindung mit tiergerechten Haltungsbedingungen und für einen Vergleich von Haltungsvarianten ist es von Interesse, welche auf das Lebensalter und die Entwicklungsqualität bezogenen Anpassungsvorgänge bei den Kälbern vorkommen können und wie diese durch Haltungsvarianten beeinflußt werden. Verfolgsuntersuchungen an Kälbern unterschiedlichen genetischen Materials während der ersten Lebenswochen sind an kleinen Tiergruppen vorgenommen (ABOUZITE et al, 1997;BOSTEDT und SCHRAMEL, 1982;GREATOREX, 1954;GUSTIN et al, 1997;MIYATA et al, 1984;OLTNER und BERGLUND, 1982;SCHLERKA, 1998;TENNANT et al, 1974), mittlere Änderungen von Variablen nachgewiesen und Einflüsse des genetischen Materials sowie von Haltungsvarianten aufgezeigt worden (REECE und HOTCHKISS, 1987). In einem Untersuchungsansatz, bei dem die Gruppenhaltung mit Tränkeautomatenfütterung mit einem Alter der Kälber von 14 Tagen begonnen wurde, sind Kälber im Beginn und am Ende der Gruppenaufzucht untersucht worden (STEINHARDT et al, 1997).…”