Biochemical constituents of blood in suckled and non-suckled postpartum buffaloes

Studies on biochemical constituents of blood in suckled and non-suckled buffaloes were undertaken on 15 apparently healthy pluriparous Murrah buffaloes. Animals in their 3^rd to 5^th parity were selected at organized dairy farms. They were maintained on conventional dietary schedule and managemental conditions. Conventional diet consisted of wheat straw, green fodder, concentrate and mineral mixture. These animals were divided into two groups. Group-I consisted of suckled buffaloes and Group-II comprised of non-suckled buffaloes. Blood samples were collected at weekly intervals after GnRH injection for 7 weeks. Results revealed that average total plasma protein levels ranged between 7.95 ± 0.50 to 8.51 ± 0.14 g/dl in suckled and 7.97 ± 0.22 to 8.42 ± 0.31 g/dl in non-suckled buffaloes. However the mean concentrations of plasma albumin in both groups were within normal limit (3.6 ±0.16 to 4.33 ± 0.23 g/dl in suckled vs 3.93 ± 0.09 to 4.33 ± 0.08 g/dl in non-suckled buffaloes). The average values of urea were recorded from 47.26 ± 3.4 to, 57.74 ± 3.47 mg/dl in suckled and 47.16 ± 2.61 to 56.72 ± 3.08 mg/dl in non-suckled buffaloes. The mean concentration of creatinine varied between 1.85 ± 0.02 to 1.88 ± 0.03 mg/dl in suckled and 1.85 ± 0.02 to 1.88 ± 0.03 mg/dl in non-suckled buffaloes and average plasma free fatty acid concentrations in suckled and non-suckled buffaloes found to be 57.19 ± 2.96 to, 64.16 ± 2.77 and, 57.46 ± 1.53 to, 62.50 ± 2.44 mg/L, respectively. The levels of all the biochemical constituents remain stable and within physiological limits in both the groups.