Health status blood parameters in northern Italian Holstein growing calves.

The wellbeing of growing Holstein female calves is a crucial point in dairy farms. Set up a normal blood parameters list could be important to check young herd health. The objective of this study was to investigate in growing female Holstein calves (fHc, 7–77d of life) major blood indicators of health status and their variation during this period. Nine health fHc (7 ± 2 d of life) kept at the same conditions (individual box, winter-spring period, north Italy, Grana Padano cheese production area), were enrolled and sampled at d 7, 42, 63 (weaning time) and 77. Performance parameters and blood indicators were analyzed. Dry TMR (15CP, 2EE, 28NDF, 27starch, %) and pasteurized milk (3.6fat, 3.2prot, 5lact, %; 6L/h/d) were used for feeding. A mixed model was performed to evaluate all the parameters at the time point sampled with each fHc as the experimental unit. Results showed as ADG was 600g and ave. daily TMR intake was 700g af overall the study. Table 1 shows the most relevant parameters as LSM 95% range of variability during the period sampled (7–77 d of life). In our study, we provided a list of parameters, a range of normality to help veterinarians and farmers to interpret common analysis and suggested values of health status for fHc fed daily dry TMR and 6 kg/d of pasteurized milk.