The influence of haptoglobin phenotype on differential leukocyte count in neonatal calves

Abstract

This research was conducted to study the content and phenotypes of haptoglobin and their correlation to the differential leukocyte count in healthy Red-motley Holstein calves (n = 30). The blood samples from calves were taken through puncture of the jugular vein on days 1, 7, 14, and 28 after birth. Differential leukocyte count was analyzed by manual enumeration. Serum haptoglobin content was determined by spectrophotometry (UV-1700 Shimadzu, Japan). Haptoglobin phenotypes were studied using gel electrophoresis. Serum haptoglobin content in calves on day 1 after birth was 3.8 ± 0.7 g/L, on day 7 was 3.5 ± 0.7 g/L, and on days 14 and 28 was 1.9 ± 1.0 and 3.9 ± 0.3 g/L, respectively. The haptoglobin phenotype Hp2-2 was found in 57.6% of calves, while phenotypes Hp2-1 and Hp1-1(?) were found in 30.0% and 13.3% of the examined animals, respectively. The serum concentrations of haptoglobin in calves with phenotypes Hp2-2, Hp2-1, and Hp1-1(?) did not differ. Calves with phenotype Hp2-2 were characterized by the greatest variability in the indicators of neutrophil content and lymphocyte content and their age-related changes. Animals with phenotype Hp2-1, on the contrary, showed the greatest stability of differential leukocyte count in the neonatal period.