MVSc

"
Protecting ruminal feed proteins by formaldehyde treatment decreased
their solubility and degradation in the rumen, eventually resulted in an
increased availability of post-rumina I amino acids and this could be exploited
for enhancing the growth rate of young ruminants as crossbred calves. Post
natal growth in ruminants is chiefly in'fluenced by the metabolic hormones,
whose secretions are, in turn, regulated by the circulating levels of critical
amino acids. Hence, the objective of the present study was to determine and
correlate the levels of certain metabolic hormones and other related
haematological cum biochemical parameters in growing crossbred calves, fed
with concentrate ration supplemented with untreated and formaldehyde treated
soyabean meal.
Twelve numbers of female crossbred calves of six months of age of the
University Livestock Farm, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,
Mannuthy, were divided into two groups, viz., Group I and Group IT, with six
calves in each group. One third of the quantity of concentrate ration to be given
to each animal was replaced by raw soyabean meal (solvent extracted) in
animals of Group I and 1 % formaldehyde treated soyabean meal in animals of
Group Il, during the experimental period of 90 days (180 to 270 d of age).
Drinking water and roughage were provided ad libitum. All the animals were
maintained under standard managemental conditions.


Fortnightly body weight of all the animals were recorded during the
entire period of study. Blood samples were collected from all animals of both
groups at the initial phase of experiment (180 d), thereafter on every 14 days as
well as one month after the end of the experiment (300 d). The blood samples
were analysed for blood glucose level (BGL) and haematological parameters
like haemoglobin content, total erythrocyte count and total leucocyte count,
volume of packed red blood corpuscles and erythrocytic indices using standard
procedures. The serum was subjected for the estimation of biochemical
parameters such as concentrations of total protein, albumin, globulin, total
lipids, cholesterol, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids (NEF A), urea
nitrogen, creatinine and bilirubin employing commercial kits. Hormonal traits
like thyroxine (T 4), triiodothyronine (T 3) and insulin were also evaluated using
radioimmuno assays.
On analysing the proximate principles of various concentrates, it was
found that both the groups received increased dietary protein intake and
particularly animals of Group Il, through protected proteins. Animals of Group
Il recorded a higher daily weight gain of 352.731 g/animal/day in comparison
to 327.460 g/animal/day of animals of Group 1.
The haematological parameters screened revealed a persistently
increasing trend, with non-significant differences between groups. This
upstream trend may be associated with an increased body weight gain of the
animals and hence, with an increased requirement. Serum concentrations of


total protein and albumin pursued an increasing trend in both groups with non-
significant differences between them. This signified the elevated protein status
of the animals with positive nitrogen balance. Moreover, there appears to be a
direct correlation between albumin turn-over and body size (Kaneko et al.,
1997). Serum globulin concentration revealed fluctuating yet an increasing
trend in calves of both groups, suggesting an increased hepatic synthesis of a
and ~ portions of globulins. A continuous upstream trend was evident in serum
totallipids, cholesterol content and triglycerides concentration of calves of both
the groups during the trial period, indicating an increased requirement of these
constituents as membrane constituents and as energy reserve, for the build up of
body size and weight. Increased insulin release stimulated by increased
availability of post ruminal amino acids would have favoured an increased
triglycerides synthesis. Decreasing trend in serum NEF A status of both the
groups signified the reduced lipolysis for energy purpose with increased dietary
protein intake.
Blood glucose lev'el of calves of both groups revealed a pertinent
increasing trend, elaborating the increased energy demands for the enhanced
growth process. An increasing trend in serum urea nitrogen concentrations
observed in calves of both the groups might be due to deamination and
conversion into urea of excess protein in calves of both groups fed over and
above the actual requirement. Serum levels of creatinine and bilirubin in both
groups of animals showed a decreasing trend which may be attributed to the
fine balance in their level by increased protein supplementation. Serum

concentrations of hormones as T4, T3 and insulin exhibited an increasing trend
in calves of both the groups. Increasing trend in insulin concentration
demonstrated a positive relationship between amino acid absorption and insulin
release and might have promoted protein anabolism resulting in an increased
body size with positive nitrogen balance. The increased metabolic demand for
oxygen associated with the increased body size might have resulted in an
increased synthesis and release of thyroid hormones, with significant (p differences between groups. The fluctuating T4:T3 ratios in both the groups
correspond~d to the episodic release of the hormones.
Results of the present study substantiate that increased dietary proteins
had brought about elevated protein anabolism and associated haematological,
biochemical and hormonal changes in growing crossbred calves offered with
concentrate ration supplemented with rumen protected soyabean meal and this
was certainly having an advantage in the crossbred calves, over the calves
provided with increased rumen degradable proteins. Since protein supplements
.
are generally the most expensive ingredients in ruminant rations, thus there is
an interest in maximizing their utilization.