The effect of chronic respiratory diseases on acute phase proteins and selected blood parameters of protein metabolism in calves.

This work was aimed at evaluation of the influence of chronic respiratory diseases on selected acute phase proteins (APPs), and on the concentrations of some parameters of protein metabolism in calves, as well as at evaluation of APPs as possible prognostic indicators in these diseases. We compared the results from 27 sick calves with results from 15 clinically healthy calves. Blood samples were analysed for concentrations of haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), total proteins, albumin, urea, creatinine, and total immunoglobulins. In calves with chronic respiratory diseases we found significantly higher concentrations of Hp and SAA than in healthy animals (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively). Moreover, in sick calves, concentrations of these parameters were significantly higher in died or euthanised calves compared with calves in improved health status during therapy (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). The concentrations of Hp in evaluated calves correlated significantly with the values of SAA (P < 0.001). In sick animals we found also significantly higher mean concentrations of total proteins and total immunoglobulins (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively), and significantly lower mean concentrations of albumin and creatinine (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively). Our findings show that in cases of chronic respiratory diseases, there is also an increased production of the mentioned APPs, and their evaluation could be useful in the determination of prognosis in sick calves. Moreover, the results suggest that these diseases could also significantly affect the concentrations of some other biochemical parameters. Thus, these results could be an important contribution to the possible laboratory diagnosis of respiratory problems in cattle.