Thromboelastometric assessment of hemostasis in newborn Piemontese calves

We investigated possible age-related differences in coagulation profiles in bovine species by means of rotational thromboelastometric (ROTEM) analysis. We evaluated hemostasis by ROTEM in newborn Piemontese calves at birth (T0), 8 days (T8), and 15 days (T15) of age and compared the ROTEM results obtained in 16 newborn calves with 28 adult Piemontese cattle. Hemostasis was evaluated using standard coagulation tests and ROTEM analysis, obtaining in-TEM, ex-TEM, and fib- TEM profiles. Statistically significant differences in the ROTEM profiles of newborn calves were found between T0 and T8 and between T0 and T15 (p < 0.05) but not between T8 and T15. Differences between ROTEM profiles of calves and adults were statistically significant at T0 (p < 0.05) but no differences were found at T15 (p < 0.05). Hence, ROTEM reference intervals for adult cattle can be used to evaluate profiles in Piemontese calves ≥8 days of age.