الفهرس 
Introduction
WeaningOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
This study was carried out on a group of 8 of cow calves and 10 buffalo calves divided into two groups, the first buffalo calves group includes six calves early weaned, and the second group includes four buffalo calves late weaned. These calves were from private farm in Sohag governorate. They reared in same circumstances, accommodations, nutrition, management and environmental conditions. These have been examined clinically during the study period, which lasted six months, and blood samples were taken, as well as calves was measured for weight and height and chest girth and CRL on a monthly basis throughout the study period and also on a weekly basis in the period of the weaning. Blood samples from the different calves groups were analyzed in order to make blood picture, especially white blood cells count and neutrophil and lymphocyte percent, as well as measuring the levels of total protein, albumin, glucose , urea, insulin, IGF-1 and cortisol in the blood serum.
Cow calves group showed steady growth rate pre and post-weaning, while in the buffalo calves groups showed retardation in growth rate post-weaning compared to pre-weaning and appeared so obvious in the group of early weaned buffalo calves(which showed losses of the weights post-weaning for two weeks and then returned to the weight increases in a slow rate.
Rate of height increase was approximately same in all groups of calves, while the ADC of height (cm/day) was less post-weaning than pre-weaning in all groups.
Heart girth showed significant increase at post-weaning period in cow calves group only, while the ADC of girth (cm/day) showed significant decrease post-weaning than pre-weaning for early weaned buffalo calves group.
CRL increased in cow calves in a satisfied rate at and post-weaning times, while buffalo calves groups didn’t show the same rate of increase. The ADC of height (cm/day) was less post-weaning than pre-weaning in all calves groups.
Clinical examination of the calves for the any symptoms associated with the weaning period, showed diarrhea in two buffalo calves of early weaned appeared 3 days post-weaning and lasts for 2 days only and stopped without treatment. Also there were symptoms of ill-thriftiness in the early weaned buffalo calves in the form of retarded growth rate and appearance of alopecia.
The level of blood sugar appeared variable in all different groups in all phases of the study (pre, at and post weaning). Group of early weaned buffalo calves had the lowest glucose levels in whole period of the study.
Urea level increased with the progress of the age of the calves in the three groups. There were significant increase in urea levels 24h post-weaning in group of early weaned buffalo calves only.
Insulin level decreased with progress of the age in the three groups. Group of early weaned buffalo calves had the lowest insulin levels and IGF-1 levels in all period of the study.
Insulin like growth factor-1 level was high in the group of late weaned buffalo calves than other two groups of the study, as well as insulin like growth factor-1 levels were decline with progress of age in all three groups.
There were significant increases in the levels of cortisol in two groups of buffalo calves 24 h post-weaning, and one week post-weaning it returned to the levels of pre-weaning. Cow calves didn’t show change in cortisol levels pre-weaning or post-weaning and the level of cortisol in cow calves was higher than buffalo calves.
Results showed no significant change in the levels of total protein, albumin and globulin in the three groups of calves in the three weaning periods, except significant increase in total protein levels 24h pos-weaning in group of early weaned buffalo calves.
There were no significant changes in the number of white blood cells in two buffalo groups while significant decrease in cow calves at- weaning.
There were significant decreases occurred in the neutrophil percentage of cow calves group at-weaning and the group of early weaned buffalo calves at-weaning and post-weaning.
There were significant increase occurred in the lymphocyte percentage at-weaning in group of early weaned buffalo calves only.
Correlation coefficients between physical measurements and biochemical indices showed that:
1- There were no significant correlations between cortisol and every one of the physical parameters.
2- There were significant correlations between total protein and height, girth and CRL.
3- There were significant correlations between albumin and only girth.
4- There were significant correlations between globulin and height, weight and girth.
5- There were significant correlations between urea and girth and CRL.
6-There were significant correlations between Insulin and height and girth.
7-There were significant correlations between IGF1 and all physical parameters.
8- There were significant correlations between glucose and height, girth and CRL.