Relationship among blood metabolites and lipid content in the liver in transitional dairy cows

The objective of the present study was to determine a relationship among blood indicators of hepatic function and lipid content in the liver during transitional period in dairy cows. Late pregnant and calved cows (n= 40) were selected from a Holstein dairy herd and allocated to four groups: a late pregnant cows (n=10) from day 15 to day 5 before calving; late pregnant cows (n=10) from day 5 to day 1 before calving; clinically puerperal healthy cows (n=10) and clinically ketotic puerperal cows (n=10). Liver and blood samples were taken from all cows. The results of present investigation have shown that the lipid content in the liver and the blood non-esterificed fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, total bilirubin concentrations and the AST activities were significantly higher (P<0.05) as well the blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and albumin concentrations were significantly lower (P<0.05) in puerperal ketotic cows as compared to the values of these parameters in the blood of healthy cows. The fat proportions in liver were positively (P<0.05) associated with the AST activities and with the serum NEFA and BHB concentrations, but negatively correlated (P<0.05) with the circulating triglyceride, total cholesterol and albumin concentrations, All these biochemical metabolites may be used as important biochemical indicators in the determination of the functional status of the liver in dairy cows during the transition period. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 31001 i br. TR31086]