Early Variations of Blood Plasma Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase in Newborn Calves — A Test of Colostrum Intake

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Abstract
Newborn calves (14) had low .gamma.-glutamyl transferase catalytic activity concentration in blood plasma (10-31 U/l). Colostrum intake induced a dramatic increase of plasma .gamma.-glutamyl transferase activity, which was maximal on the 1st or 2nd day (370-5000 U/l) after birth; then plasma enzyme activity slowly decreased and was stable about 100 U/l on the 20th day. In 2 calves given either boiled or synthetic milk, plasma .gamma.-glutamyl transferase activity was not higher than 25 U/l. .gamma.-Glutamyl transferase activity of blood plasma in newborn calves is an easy and inexpensive test of colostrum intake.