Calcium metabolism and its fractional composition in clinically healthy goats

In clinically healthy goats at 2,5–3 months and 4–4,5 months of gestation, the concentration of total calcium in the blood serum according to the current physiological limits was in the range from 2,30 to 2,62 mmol/l (2,46±0,014 and 2,34±0,030 mmol/l), in lactating animals – 1,93–2,77 mmol/l (2,40±0,020 mmol/l), including on the 0–2nd day after lambing – 2,05±0,030 mmol/l, on the 15–25th day and 50–60th day of lactation, respectively, 2,45±0,015 and 2,47±0,027 mmol/l. Optimal serum Ca concentrations were found in 52,4 % of goats (pregnant and lactating). In another 14,5 % of clinically healthy goats of different physiological groups with a slight decrease in the total calcium content in the blood serum, clinical signs of hypocalcaemia were not observed. We have established physiological limits of total calcium in the blood serum of clinically healthy goats (n=177): min – 2,20, max – 2,90 mmol/l. Within the defined limits by M±2s were 87,6 % of the studied animals. The concentration of the ionised calcium fraction in the blood serum of clinically healthy goats was in the range of 0,50–1,13 mmol/l (0,76±0,020 mmol/l), in lactating animals – 0,45–1,30 mmol/l (0,87±0,023 mmol/l), which was, respectively, 30,7 and 36,2 % of total calcium. The physiological limits of ionised calcium in the blood serum of clinically healthy goats according to M±2s are as follows: min – 0,47 mmol/l, max – 1,20 mmol/l, and in 96,6 % of the studied animals (n=177) these values were within the specified limits. The ratio of Ca total : Ca ionised in clinically healthy animals is 0,34:1. The velocity of ultrasound wave propagation through the last rib area in clinically healthy lactating goats was on average 734,7±95,9 m/s (252,5– 2500,0 m/s) against 808,2±123,6 m/s in patients with subclinical hypocalcaemia. Determination of ultrasound wave propagation through bone tissue using the echoosteometer EOM-01-C is one of the markers for assessing the state of bone mineralisation in goats. Key words: goats, vitamin D, metabolites, total calcium, ionised calcium, concentration, echosteometry, ultrasound.