In order to establish reference values, and to assess the influence of the age factor on the erytrogram of healthy Holstein calves, blood samples from 300 animals were used, spread over 15 experimental groups, according to age, in the first month of life. Variations of the average values for the components of erytrogram were as follows: number of red blood cells (x10(6)/mm³) = 6.68-7.60, packed cell volume (%) = 29.80-33.35, hemoglobin concentration (g/dl) = 9.00-10.43, mean corpuscular volume (fl) = 38.93-47.68, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (pg) = 11.75-14.69, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (%) = 29.53-31.63% and number of reticulocytes (x10³/mm³) = 0.00-11.86. The influence of the age factor proved to be significant for the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and the number of reticulocytes.
Erytrogram; neonatology; female calves; holstein cattle
