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Variations in Parameters of Liver Function and Plasma Progesterone Related to Underfeeding and Ketosis in a Dairy Herd

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 30, pages 185–197 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

Twenty-eight Norwegian Red Cattle dairy cows were fed silage ad libitum and restricted amounts of concentrates. Blood samples were collected before morning feeding, once or twice weekly, from 2 weeks before to 12 weeks after calving. Parameters of liver function, carbohydrate status and fertility were recorded in order to assess their interrelationships.

Eight cows were treated for clinical ketosis. Four of these had to be treated 2 or 3 times. Aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin showed the highest within-animal coefficients of correlation with acetoacetate. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of carbohydrate status (indicated by plasma acetoacetate levels) on the levels of aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase and sorbitol dehydrogenase, though only a small part of the total variation was explained by this factor. The estimated volume density of liver fat in the 4th week of lactation averaged 6.0 ± 6.4% (± SD) ranging from 0.1–25.1 %. Liver fat content at this stage of lactation was not significantly correlated with other indicators of liver function or carbohydrate status. Cows treated for clinical ketosis had significantly lower plasma progesterone values at the time of first ketosis treatment than untreated multiparous cows. The frequency of high progesterone values (> 3 ng/ml) being significantly lower in treated than in untreated cows during the period from 3-5 weeks post partum, though not at later stages. In conclusion, the results revealed a significant relationship between carbohydrate status and liver function, and also between clinical ketosis and luteal function.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank H.P. Bugge and T. Landswerk for help with the preparation of the liver samples, and L.-W. Fredriksen, K. Edwardsen and K. Edwardsen for excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine cxP. O. Box 8146, Dep., N-0033 Oslo 1, Norway

    E. Ropstad, K. Halse & A. O. Refsdal

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 8146, Dep., N-0033 Oslo 1, Oslo., Norway

    E. Ropstad, K. Halse & A. O. Refsdal

  3. Norwegian Red Cattle Association, P. O. Box 8146, Dep., N-0033 Oslo 1, Hamar., Norway

    E. Ropstad, K. Halse & A. O. Refsdal

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  1. E. Ropstad
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  2. K. Halse
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  3. A. O. Refsdal
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Ropstad, E., Halse, K. & Refsdal, A.O. Variations in Parameters of Liver Function and Plasma Progesterone Related to Underfeeding and Ketosis in a Dairy Herd. Acta Vet Scand 30, 185–197 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03548055

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147