Abnormalities of Serum Protein Electrophoresis in Cattle and Comparison between Assays for Markers of Inflammation and Markers of Liver Alteration

This study aims to prove the advantage to use blood serum electrophoresis (BSE) in medicine for cattle. For that, 200 animal’s cases (healthy or diseased) were studied. We found, in order of importance: 47 cases of respiratory diseases, 7 cases of lameness, 9 cases of mastitis and 8 cases of metritis, the rest have developed inflammatory signs (hyperthermia, low appetite) without any other specific clinical signs (15 subjects). The majority of animals reveal the highest ratio A/G (Albumin/globulin). Alpha2 globulins were markedly high during bronchopneumonia. Most of the cattle had a low value of the α1 globulins (3.67±1.16g/l). The majority of cattle had a low value of the α1 zone in comparing with normal range. Seven subjects have developed a monoclonal peak in hyper-gamma globulins. The fibrinogen concentrations did not exceed the threshold of 5g/l. The concentration of Haptoglobin was higher for only ten animals. The electrophoresis of blood serum can replace the biochemical parameters used to determinate the alterations of the liver function: total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT). We found if the level of the α2 and γ globulins is highest; it gives the same interpretation for the animal’s inflammation status like we have with the increased level of haptoglobin observed for bronchopneumonia. For the other cases, like the insidious pathologies, they are detected by the α2 and γ globulins, but not by haptoglobin. Our study has proved that the use of blood serum electrophoresis confirms the diagnosis of symptomatic pathologies and allows detecting asymptomatic pathologies.