Abstract: | The fluctuations in the plasma levels of several bone markers were investigated in newborn calves. Experiment1 monitored the postnatal changes in the plasma levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b(TRAP5b), total alkaline phosphatase (t-ALP) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) in four calves.These markers increased significantly from 9−20 hr after the first colostrum-suckling compared with the valuesimmediately after birth. Experiment 2 evaluated changes in the plasma TRAP5b, t-ALP, BAP and type I collagencross-linked N-telopeptide (NTx) levels within 2 days post-birth in five calves with successful passiveimmunization via colostrum (non-deficient group) and five others with poor colostrum intake (deficient group).The non-deficient group had significantly higher plasma levels of the four parameters around 12 hr of lifecompared with the deficient group. The results suggest that the increase in plasma bone markers in calves inthe first day of life is related to the colostrum intake. |