Changes in serum total proteins, protein fractions and albumin-globulin ratio during neonatal period in goat kids and their mothers after parturition

The aim of this study was to characterize the physiological changes in serum proteins of goat kids during the first month of life compared to changes in their mothers. The experimental subjects were five goats and their ten twin kids. Once a week, during the first month after parturition, serum total proteins and serum protein fractions were investigated. Two-way Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to evaluate the influence of sampling time and the differences between adults and kids. Kids and mothers showed a statistically significant effect of days after parturition (P<0.01) on albumin, alpha 1-, alpha 2- and gamma-globulins and total proteins. These showed a significant increase 21 days after parturition and a significant decrease to return to basal values on the last sampling day. A significant effect of age between mothers and kids (P<0.001) was found for all the parameters. The application of linear regression showed a significant correlation (r = 0.58) among postnatal age and gamma-globulins. It is concluded that although physiological protein concentrations are rarely influenced by age in adult animals, these are strictly dependent on days of life in the neonate. It is therefore essential that the normal electrophoretic pattern of each species be determined in neonates because this reflects the response to changes in homeostasis or disease.