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The relationship between post-parturient fatty liver and blood composition in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

I. M. Reid
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire
G. J. Rowlands
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire
A. M. Dew
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire
R. A. Collins
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire
C. J. Roberts
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire
R. Manston
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Council Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire

Summary

The blood composition of 45 cows with more than 20% fat in the liver (moderate fatty liver) was compared with that of 83 cows with less than 20% fat in the liver (mild fatty liver). The cows were sampled at 1 week after calving and were from three Friesian and one Guernsey herds. Blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, bilirubin and aspartate amino-transferase were significantly elevated in cows with more than 20% in the liver whereas concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, albumin and magnesium were all significantly reduced. Blood samples from cows in two of the herds were analysed for ammonia, insulin and D(-)3-hydroxybutyrate. Cows with moderate fatty liver in these two herds had significantly lower insulin concentrations and higher D(-)3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations than those with mild fatty liver. Using an equation based on blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, glucose and aspartate aminotransferase it was possible to assign correctly three out of four cows to either the mild or moderate fatty liver groups.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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