Serum GGT and ALP enzyme activities in calves with failure of passive transfer of antibody

This study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic importance of serum GGT and ALP enzyme activities in calves with failure of passive transfer of antibody (FPTA). For this purpose, 18 sick Holstein calves with FPTA and 6 healthy Holstein calves known to have consumed colostrum were used as materials. FPTA was confirmed by negative gluteraldehyde coagulation test (GACT). The serum GGT activity in the calves with FPTA was significantly lower than in the healthy calves. There was no significant difference in the serum ALP activity between the calves with FPTA and the healthy calves. The mean γ-globulin and total protein concentrations were lower in the calves with FPTA than in the healthy ones. The result of the study showed that serum GGT assay could be used as indirect indicator or effective suckling and colostrum ingestion during the first few days of life.