Abstract
To obtain basal blood biochemical data during fattening for Japanese Black heifers in Kagoshima Prefecture, serum samples from 1,381 clinically healthy, 9- to 30-month-old Japanese Black heifers, which were raised on 61 farms, were collected at five time points during fattening [n = 257 at 9~13 months old (early fattening stage), n = 283 at 14~16 months old (early middle stage), n = 266 at 17~19 months old (late middle stage), n = 325 at 20~23 months old (late stage) and n = 250 at 24~30 months old (finishing)]. The mean activities of aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase were high from the late middle to late stages. The mean concentration of albumin was 3.5g/dℓ from the late middle to late stages. The mean concentration of total cholesterol was above 140mg/dℓ after the early middle stage. The mean concentration of inorganic phosphorus decreased gradually. The mean concentration of vitamin A decreased gradually from the early stage, and it was 39 IU/dℓ in the finishing stage. The mean concentration of vitamin E was above 200μg/dℓ after the early middle stage. These results suggest that blood biochemical values of Japanese Black heifers in Kagoshima Prefecture are different depending on the fattening stage and may be used as an index for prevention and diagnosis of production diseases.
