Table 2.
Results of haematological analysis and clinical chemistry at the time of hospitalisation of seven Belgian Blue crossbred calves referred to the clinic. Calves 1, 2 and 3 were referred with existing signs of alopecia. Calves 4–7 were picked up at the farm in the first week of life and moved to the clinic before signs appeared. Reference intervals for German Simmental calves, established at the Clinic for Ruminants, LMU Munich, Germany unless otherwise stated. Values above the reference interval are marked with ↑, and those below the reference interval with ↓
| Parameter | Unit | Reference interval | Calf 1 | Calf 2 | Calf 3 | Calf 4 | Calf 5 | Calf 6 | Calf 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red blood cells | × 1012/L | 5–8 | 12.8 ↑ | 13.4 ↑ | 9.3↑ | 8.7↑ | 9.1↑ | 11.0↑ | 9.3↑ |
| Haemoglobin | mmol/L | 6.2–8.7 | 8.9↑ | 9.4↑ | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 9.6↑ | 7.6 |
| Haematocrit | % | 30–36 | 52.6↑ | 62.2↑ | 40.2 | 39.1 | 41.1 | 47↑ | 38.7 |
| Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) | fl | 40–60 | 41.1 | 37.4↓ | 43.3 | 45.2 | 45.3 | 42 | 41.6 |
| Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) | mmol/L | 16–21 | 17.9 | 18.4 | 18.2 | 18.4 | 17.8 | 21.0 | 20.7 |
| Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) | fmol | 0.9–1.4 | 0.7↓ | 0.7↓ | 0.8↓ | 0.8↓ | 0.8↓ | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Platelets | × 109 | 200–800 | 718 | 662 | 754 | 754 | 368 | 339 | 529 |
| White Blood Cells (WBC) | × 109 | 4–10 | 25.0↑ | 8.5 | 23.2↑ | 5.3 | 10.3↑ | 12.7↑ | 17.2↑ |
| Urea | mmol/L | < 5.5 | 5.9↑ | 5.0 | 3.9 | 19.6↑ | 2.3 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| Creatinine | μmol/L | < 110 | 43.2 | 42.4 | 92.5 | 248.4↑ | 131↑ | 153.2↑ | 85.5 |
| Urea/Creatinine | 30–50 | 136↑ | 118↑ | 42 | 79↑ | 18 | 21 | 30 | |
| Total Protein (TP) | g/L | 55–70 | 51.1↓ | 53.4 | 49.6↓ | 48.3↓ | 58.7 | 51.5↓ | 51↓ |
| Albumin | g/L | 30–40 | 27.4↓ | 26.2↓ | 21.5↓ | 23.7↓ | 17.5↓ | 28.2↓ | 24.5↓ |
| Sodium | mmol/L | 135–150 | 139.3 | 127↓ | 130↓ | 131.5↓ | 134.1↓ | 133.7↓ | 132↓ |
| Potassium | mmol/L | 4–5 | 3.9↓ | 3.6↓ | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.4 |
| Calcium | mmol/L | 2–3 | 1.2↓ | 1.2↓ | 2.1 | 1.1↓ | 1.3↓ | 1.2↓ | 1.2↓ |
| Phosphorus | mmol/L | 1.5–2.1 | 2.3↑ | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.6↑ | 2.3↑ | 2.1 | 2.3↑ |
| Iron | μmol/L | 12–44 | 9.7↓ | 23.2 | 8.9↓ | 24.8 | 25.9 | 13.7 | 16 |
| Copper | μmol/L | 8–39 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 18.1 | 11.2 | 4.3↓ | 7.6↓ | 10.8 |
| Zinc | μmol/L | 10–20 | 10.9 | 17.3 | 7.7↓ | 8.6↓ | 12.3 | 13.0 | 15.4 |
| Molybdenum | μg/L | < 10a | < 10 | < 10 | < 10 | < 10 | 245 | 99 | 294 |
| Glutathione peroxidase | U/gHb | > 250 | 310 | 396 | 352 | 440 | 308 | 442 | 344 |
| Vitamin C | mg/L | 2-20b | n.a. | 9.2 | 7.6 | 10 | 7 | 9.8 | 4.1 |
aReference interval established at IDEXX VetMed Labor GmbH, Ludwigsburg, Germany
bReference interval established at Labor Limbach, Heidelberg, Germany