Calf-mother interrelationship: effect of calf contact on blood parameters

ABSTRACT

Ten buffalo-cows of a milking buffalo hred were used in this study to investigate the effect of calf contact on dam status [Blood profle mineral profile and total plasma proteins] the experimental animals were divided into two groups a] Suckling group in which calves were kept with their dams and suckled milk in a natural way. b] Milking group in which calves were separated from their dams 3-5 days after calving and these dams were hand milked while the calves suckled milk artificially via nipple pial. Weekly blood samples were collected from the experimental animals for determination of haemoglobin red blood cells white blood cells and differential count. Blood plasma used for estimation of calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium and total plasma proteins. It was concluded that the variations in crythrocytic and leucocytic counts as well as haemoglobin percentsage lacked significance due to suckling or milking. However suckling showed a clear lymphocytosis, eosinopenia and basopenia. Calcium and magnesium plasma levels were higher in the milking group than in suckling one [11.61 +/- 0.77 vs 11.15 +/- 0.35 gm% for calcium and 3.52 +/- 0.16 vs 3.17 +/- 0.15 gm% for magnesium]. Inorganic phosphorus level revealed no significant difference between group However, calph ratio was narrower in the suckling group [1.921] than in milking one [2.031]. Variation in total plasma protein percentage lacked significance between both groups [8.77 +/- 0.16 gm% in suckling vs 9.02 +/- 0.38 gm% in milking group]