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Influence of Feeding Intensity on Blood Concentrations of Glucose, Ketone Bodies and Free Fatty Acids in Nutritionally Adapted Dairy Cows Fed 24 Times Daily*

Indflydelse af fodringsintensiteten på blodkoncentrationen af glukose, ketonstoffer og frie fedtsyrer hos ernæringsmæssigt veladapterede malkekøer ved høj fodringsfrekvens.

Abstract

Concentrations of acetoacetate, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, glucose and free fatty acids were determined in blood from 3 Jersey cows during a 5-months period. The cows were fed an identical complete feed every hour, from ad libitum intake to maintenance level, for 28 days at each of the following levels of intake: 170, 138, 102, 53 and 37 g organic matter per kg bodyweight0.75 (metabolic bodyweight). Throughout the experimental period, the cows were in negative energy balance, which was reflected in an average weight loss of 640 g per day. None of the metabolites differed from reference values for healthy lactating cows. The concentration of D-3-hydroxybutyrate decreased linearly with the level of feeding and reflected a decreased ruminai production of butyrate.

The high feeding frequency to lactating cows may be considered an essential factor in the prevention of ketosis.

Sammendrag

Koncentrationen af acetoacetat, D-hydroxybutyrat, glucose og frie fedtsyrer blev analyseret i blod fra tre lakterende jerseykøer, som gennem en 5 måneders periode blev fodret 24 gange i døgnet med samme foderblanding. Hver 28. dag blev foderrationen reduceret fra ad libitum gradvist ned til vedligeholdelsesniveau, hvor køerne blev goldet. Fodringsintensiteter var 170, 138, 102, 53 og 37 g organisk stof pr. kg metabolisk legemsvægt (kg legemsvægt0,75).

Under forsøget var køerne i stor negativ energibalance, idet det totale vægttab udgjorde 24 % svarende til et gennemsnitligt dagligt tab på 640 g. Ingen af de undersøgte metabolitter fandtes under disse omstændigheder afvigende fra referenceværdier hos tilsyneladende sunde og raske malkekøer. D-3-hydroxybutyratkoncentrationen faldt lineært med aftagende ruminal produktion af smørsyre. Undersøgelsen understreger betydningen af høj fodringsfrekvens hos højtydende malkekøer med vægt på forebyggelse af ketotiske tilstande.

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Krogh Nielsen, T., Jensen, K. Influence of Feeding Intensity on Blood Concentrations of Glucose, Ketone Bodies and Free Fatty Acids in Nutritionally Adapted Dairy Cows Fed 24 Times Daily*. Acta Vet Scand 32, 301–306 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546958

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