Alopecia in Belgian Blue crossbred calves: a case series

BMC Veterinary Research

Table 2 Results of haematological analysis and clinical chemistry at the time of hospitalisation of seven Belgian Blue crossbred calves referred to the clinic. Calves 1, 2 and 3 were referred with existing signs of alopecia. Calves 4–7 were picked up at the farm in the first week of life and moved to the clinic before signs appeared. Reference intervals for German Simmental calves, established at the Clinic for Ruminants, LMU Munich, Germany unless otherwise stated. Values above the reference interval are marked with ↑, and those below the reference interval with ↓

Parameter	Unit	Reference interval	Calf 1	Calf 2	Calf 3	Calf 4	Calf 5	Calf 6	Calf 7
Red blood cells	× 10¹²/L	5–8	12.8 ↑	13.4 ↑	9.3↑	8.7↑	9.1↑	11.0↑	9.3↑
Haemoglobin	mmol/L	6.2–8.7	8.9↑	9.4↑	7.3	7.2	7.3	9.6↑	7.6
Haematocrit	%	30–36	52.6↑	62.2↑	40.2	39.1	41.1	47↑	38.7
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)	fl	40–60	41.1	37.4↓	43.3	45.2	45.3	42	41.6
Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)	mmol/L	16–21	17.9	18.4	18.2	18.4	17.8	21.0	20.7
Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH)	fmol	0.9–1.4	0.7↓	0.7↓	0.8↓	0.8↓	0.8↓	0.9	0.9
Platelets	× 10⁹	200–800	718	662	754	754	368	339	529
White Blood Cells (WBC)	× 10⁹	4–10	25.0↑	8.5	23.2↑	5.3	10.3↑	12.7↑	17.2↑
Urea	mmol/L	< 5.5	5.9↑	5.0	3.9	19.6↑	2.3	3.2	2.6
Creatinine	μmol/L	< 110	43.2	42.4	92.5	248.4↑	131↑	153.2↑	85.5
Urea/Creatinine		30–50	136↑	118↑	42	79↑	18	21	30
Total Protein (TP)	g/L	55–70	51.1↓	53.4	49.6↓	48.3↓	58.7	51.5↓	51↓
Albumin	g/L	30–40	27.4↓	26.2↓	21.5↓	23.7↓	17.5↓	28.2↓	24.5↓
Sodium	mmol/L	135–150	139.3	127↓	130↓	131.5↓	134.1↓	133.7↓	132↓
Potassium	mmol/L	4–5	3.9↓	3.6↓	4.5	4.3	4.5	5.1	4.4
Calcium	mmol/L	2–3	1.2↓	1.2↓	2.1	1.1↓	1.3↓	1.2↓	1.2↓
Phosphorus	mmol/L	1.5–2.1	2.3↑	1.8	1.7	2.6↑	2.3↑	2.1	2.3↑
Iron	μmol/L	12–44	9.7↓	23.2	8.9↓	24.8	25.9	13.7	16
Copper	μmol/L	8–39	8.2	9.0	18.1	11.2	4.3↓	7.6↓	10.8
Zinc	μmol/L	10–20	10.9	17.3	7.7↓	8.6↓	12.3	13.0	15.4
Molybdenum	μg/L	< 10^a	< 10	< 10	< 10	< 10	245	99	294
Glutathione peroxidase	U/gHb	> 250	310	396	352	440	308	442	344
Vitamin C	mg/L	2-20^b	n.a.	9.2	7.6	10	7	9.8	4.1

^aReference interval established at IDEXX VetMed Labor GmbH, Ludwigsburg, Germany
^bReference interval established at Labor Limbach, Heidelberg, Germany

ISSN: 1746-6148