Effects of Age, Temperature-Season, and Breed on Blood Characteristics of Dairy Cattle

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Abstract
Dairy cattle (224, 6 mo.-2nd calving) representing 4 breeds (169 Holstein, 24 Guernsey, 19 Jersey, 12 Brown Swiss) were used to determine effects of age, temperature-season and breed on blood characteristics. Blood samples (1183) were collected by jugular venipuncture in the middle of each temperature-season. Covariate age affected blood profile except for Hb, oxyhemoglobin, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase and albumin. Temperature-season increased or decreased all measures except enzyme creatine phosphokinase, total creatine phosphokinase, Ca and P. Years differed for all measures except Hb and oxyhemoglobin. Except for enzyme creatine phosphokinase, total creatine phosphokinase and P, breeds differed in other measures. There were interactions between temperature-season and year, temperature-season and breed, and year and breed. Differences among temperature-seasons were not consistent from year to year. Breed differences were not consistent from temperature-season to temperature-season for Ca or protein-bound I. Breed differences were not consistent from year to year for glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, total protein, albumin or Ca.