Digestive Enzyme Activities in the Young Calf

Abstract

Twelve male calves were divided into 2 comparable groups at birth. One calf from each group was sacrificed at each of the following ages: 1, 8, 15, 22, 33, and 44 days. Fourteen hours prior to sacrifice, calves from Group I received a test meal of whole milk plus 3% lactose and Group II re-ceived whole milk plus 2.5% sucrose and 0.5% starch. Except for calves sacrificed at 1 day, diets similar to the test meal were given to calves from 4 days of age to time of sacrifice. After sacrifice, certain organs were removed and analyzed for digestive enzyme activities. Intestinal lactase activity was highest at 1 day of age and decreased thereafter. Intestinal maltase levels were low (as compared to lactase) and did not change with age. No intestinal sucrase was detected. Gastric protease was highest at 8 days and decreased thereafter. Pancreatic amylase, lipase, and protease were lowest at 1 day, increased during the first week, and changed little thereafter. Diet apparently exerted no major effect on levels of any of the digestive enzymes.