Post Natal Changes in the Concentration of certain Serum Biochemicals, Metabolic and Steroid Hormones in Male Assam Goats (Capra hircus) from Birth to Ten Months of Age

The mean concentration of blood glucose showed an increasing pattern with advancing age in the male Assam goats ranging from 39.32 ± 0.12 mg percent at birth to 51.92 ± 0.05 mg percent in 10 months old bucks. Serum cholesterol concentration showed a declining trend that varied from 108.93 ± 1.35 mg percent at birth to 62.23 ± 0.66 mg percent in 10 months old goats. Similarly, the levels of serum total protein increased from 3.96 ± 1.35 to 8.16 ± 0.02 g percent at birth and at 10 month of age, respectively. The serum thyroid hormones showed a declining trend in the male Assam goats with increasing age. The mean concentrations of Triiodothyronine (T₃) and Thyroxine _{(T4) were recorded as 1.65 ± 0.03 and 114.38 ± 0.62 ng/ml at birth and 0.81 ± 0.01 and 24.47 ± 0.31 ng/ml at 10 months of age respectively. On the other hand, serum concentrations of testosterone hormone raised from 0.11 ± 0.01 ng/ml in 2 months old kids to 1.13 ± 0.01 ng/ml in the goats at 10 month of age. Testosterone could not be estimated in the serum of day-old kids because the level was too low to measure. Serum concentrations of all the hormones showed a highly significant (P<0.01) variation between different age groups under study.}