Effect of Age and of Dietary Regime on Hemoglobin and Reducing-Sugar Levels in the Blood of Dairy Calves

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Abstract
Holstein calves (12 males and 12 females) were fed limited whole milk for 6 weeks and liquid milk replacer from 3 to 12 weeks by nipple. Half the calves of each sex received a milk replacer containing 15% distillers dried solubles; the others received a similar replacer minus the distillers solubles. Hay and starter were fed to females for 12 weeks and to males after 7 weeks. The males were on screens (no bedding) for the first 7 weeks. Hemoglobin values for calves fed distillers dried solubles were significantly higher than those for other calves. Whole blood reducing-sugar values declined for 8 weeks, and limiting some of the calves (males) to a liquid diet fed by nipple did not alter appreciably the nature of these trends. Most of the reducing-sugar was in the plasma, where trends were similar to those of whole blood. Packed cell volumes were relatively constant, but reducing-sugar content of the cells decreased steadily and approached zero at 8 weeks.

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