The effects of prepartum maternal serum calcium, magnesium and potassium levels on calf development until weaning

In this study, the effect of prepartum maternal serum Ca, Mg, K levels on the morphological characteristics (body weight, withers and chest girth,), colostrum IgG concentration and biochemistry parameters of calves at birth and weaning were investigated. 79 calves of Holstein Friesian calves were used in the study. Arithmetic means of serum Ca, Mg and K levels (± standard deviation) of the cows in the prepartum (-4, -3, -2 and -1 weeks) were 2.10 ± 0.15 mmol / l, 1.24 ± 0.19 mmol / l and 5.04 ± 0.57 mmol /, respectively. For each mineral, those with less concentration than these average values were grouped as low and those with higher concentrations. Colostrum samples were taken at birth and at 36 hours. Body weight, wither height and chest girth were measured weekly until weaning at 8 weeks of age. The biochemistry parameters of glucose, total cholesterol, total protein, triglyceride, Ca, ALT, AST, GGT and ALP levels were determined in the serum obtained from blood samples taken during weekly morphlogical measurements. Prepartum maternal serum Ca, Mg and K level differences did not affect (P> 0.05) the morphological characteristics of calves and colostrum IgG concentration at birth. Similarly, differences in prepartum maternal serum Ca and K levels did not affect morphological characteristics in weaning (P> 0.05). However, it was determined that higher body weight (P= 0.026), withers (P= 0.031) and chest girth (P= 0.031) in calves birth cows prepartum serum Mg level <1.24 mmol/l. And, also, there was a tendency to increase body weight between weaning and birth (P = 0.091) in these calves. On the weaning, prepartum maternal serum Ca and K levels had a very limited effect on serum biochemistry of calves while Mg levels did not cause a difference. According to the results of the present study, it has been suggested that prepartum maternal serum Mg level is effective on calf development at the weaning, and to study the genetic expression between this mineral and calf development in new studies.