Transfer of gamma-glutamyltransferase from mother colostrum to newborn goat and foal.
In goat and mare colostrum, gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity is relatively low (mean values are, respectively, 900 and 350 U/l). In the serum of newborns before suckling, GGT is also low (less than or equal to 28 U/l in goats and less than or equal to U/l in foals); then in goats GGT is much increased on the 1st day (mean = 127 U/l), and it decreases during the following days. In foals, serum GGT slowly but regularly increases for the first 5 days, then decreases. Such differences can be attributed to intestinal protein absorption capabilities which are selective in newborn foals and unselective in goats. Therefore, serum GGT measurement can be a good test of colostrum intake in newborn goats, but not in foals.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D003126:Colostrum / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood*
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase