A PREDICTION OF BODY WATER COMPARTMENTS OF GROWING CATTLE IN VIVO

Body water compartments in vivo were determined in Holstein cattle with age ranging from 5 to 521 days to obtain an equation to estimate volumes of body water. Live weight ranged from 47 to 480 kg. Compartments were determined as antipyrine space for total body water (TBW), thiocyanate space for extracellular water (ECW) and Evans blue dye space for plasma water (PW). Body water compartments expressed as a percentage of live weight decreased as age in days increased and significantly correlated with age in days. Regression analyses revealed that prediction equations had low accuracy. Regression equations of body water compartments on live weight (WT, kg) were useful for the prediction of body fluid with a high accuracy. Live weight significantly regressed on age in days (Day), which was inferred to be utilized for estimation of standardized live weight in case animals were emaciated by certain causes such as severe diarrhea or dehydration. In conclusion, following equations were presented to estimate body water compartments of cattle in vivo : TBW in liters = $0.556({\pm}0.007)WT+10$, r = 0.993, $SE{\pm}0.7$ ECW in liters = $0.321({\pm}0.008)WT+10$, r = 0.978, $SE{\pm}0.8$ PW in liters = $0.0502({\pm}0.0012)WT+1.6$, r = 0.0983, $SE{\pm}0.1$ WT (kg) = $0.772({\pm}0.018)Day+24$, r = 0.982, $SE{\pm}2.3$.