[The development of iron and copper concentrations in blood plasma of calves in the first days and weeks of life, equally a contribution to the larvaceous neonatal iron deficiency anemia].

Newly born calves (n = 93) were examined to determine the iron and copper values in the blood plasma. The investigation was divided into two sections: 1. Chronic measuring of the parameters of live-born calves until the sixth week (n = 48). 2. Short-time examination of newly born calves with different vitality figures/levels of vitality until the second day of life (n = 45). Iron and copper were determined by means of an inductively-coupled-plasma emissions-spectral analysis (ICP). In the case of a normal birth and vitality criteria calves are born with a plasma concentration of 27.7 +/- 9.6 mumol/l iron and 4.8 +/- 1.7 mumol/l copper. During the first few hours of life the iron concentration drops considerably and significantly (p less than or equal to 0.01) and rises again before the second week. There is a short period of considerable depression in the iron concentration. The copper values, in contrast, increase linearly and significantly (p less than or equal to 0.001) form the birth onwards until the end of the first week, then remaining on a high level. In the dynamic of the iron plasma curve the influence of race/breed is also evident. Calves of the race DFV have a significantly higher iron level than the DSB and DRB race (p less than or equal to 0.01) at the end of the sixth week of life. About a fifth (18.8) of the test animals in the first part of the investigation already had a hidden sideropenia (16.1 +/- 1.9 mumol/l) when they were born. Their iron concentration developed only slowly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)