Clinic for Ruminants and Herd Health Management, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 104, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
Veterinary Practice Lünne, Lünne, Germany.
BMC Vet Res. 2024 Aug 24;20(1):379. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04229-y.
Feeding milk substitutes with low iron content or whole milk without iron supplementation is considered a major factor in developing iron-deficiency anemia in neonatal dairy calves. Young calves are often supplemented with iron dextran injections on the first day of life to prevent anemia. However, the effects of preventive treatment and the presence of disease on serum iron (Fe) concentrations, serum ferritin levels, and hematological blood parameters during the early neonatal stages have not been examined in detail. Therefore, we examined and evaluated the effects of iron dextran injections and health status on the development of hematocrit (Ht), red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), erythrocyte indices (mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration), Fe, and serum ferritin concentrations in dairy calves within the first 10 days of life. The suitability of serum ferritin as a reliable indicator of anemia in very young calves was evaluated by correlating ferritin concentrations with known laboratory diagnostic parameters of anemia.
Iron supplementation significantly increased Fe levels (P = 0.048) but did not affect serum ferritin levels in neonatal calves. Fe concentrations were significantly lower in diseased than healthy calves (P = 0.0417). Iron supplementation significantly affected the health status, as observed in Ht (P=0.0057; P=0.0097), RBC (P=0.0342; P=0.0243), and Hb (P=0.0170; P=0.0168). Serum ferritin levels did not significantly correlate with Fe levels. Both groups showed marked differences in ferritin levels, with the highest levels measured on day 2. Fe concentrations showed weak negative correlations with Hb and Ht levels on day 3 (ρ=-0.45; P = 0.0034 and ρ=-0.045; P = 0.0032, respectively). RBC count showed strong positive correlations with Hb and Ht levels (ρ = 0.91 and ρ = 0.93; P < 0.001).
Iron dextran injections increased Fe concentrations but reduced Ht level, RBC count, and Hb level. The presence of diseases led to a reduction in Fe and higher values of Ht, RBC, and Hb in moderate disease than in severe disease. Due to physiological fluctuations during the first 3 days of life, serum ferritin level seems unuseful for evaluating iron storage before day 4 of life.
低铁含量的代乳品或未经铁补充的全牛奶的喂养被认为是新生奶牛缺铁性贫血发展的一个主要因素。为了预防贫血，小牛通常在出生后的第一天接受右旋糖酐铁注射。然而，预防治疗的效果以及疾病对新生小牛早期血清铁（Fe）浓度、血清铁蛋白水平和血液学参数的影响尚未详细研究。因此，我们检查并评估了铁右旋糖酐注射和健康状况对新生小牛 10 天内的血细胞比容（Ht）、红细胞（RBC）、血红蛋白浓度（Hb）、红细胞指数（平均红细胞体积、平均红细胞血红蛋白、平均红细胞血红蛋白浓度）、Fe 和血清铁蛋白浓度的发展的影响。通过将铁蛋白浓度与已知的贫血实验室诊断参数相关联，评估了血清铁蛋白作为评估非常小的小牛贫血的可靠指标的适用性。
铁补充剂显著增加了 Fe 水平（P=0.048），但对新生小牛的血清铁蛋白水平没有影响。患病小牛的 Fe 浓度明显低于健康小牛（P=0.0417）。铁补充剂显著影响了健康状况，表现在 Ht（P=0.0057；P=0.0097）、RBC（P=0.0342；P=0.0243）和 Hb（P=0.0170；P=0.0168）上。血清铁蛋白水平与 Fe 水平无显著相关性。两组的铁蛋白水平均有显著差异，第 2 天测量的水平最高。Fe 浓度与第 3 天的 Hb 和 Ht 水平呈弱负相关（ρ=-0.45；P=0.0034 和 ρ=-0.045；P=0.0032）。RBC 计数与 Hb 和 Ht 水平呈强正相关（ρ=0.91 和 ρ=0.93；P<0.001）。
右旋糖酐铁注射增加了 Fe 浓度，但降低了 Ht 水平、RBC 计数和 Hb 水平。疾病的存在导致 Fe 减少，并且中度疾病的 Ht、RBC 和 Hb 值高于严重疾病。由于生命的头 3 天的生理波动，血清铁蛋白水平在生命的第 4 天之前似乎对评估铁储存没有用处。
