COLESTEROL E BETA-HIDROXIBUTIRATO SÉRICO EM VACAS COM HIPOCALCEMIA SUBCLÍNICA

The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of serum cholesterol and beta- hydroxybutyrate in dairy cows with subclinical hypocalcemia. For this, 14 dairy Holstein cows were used in the period of transition. The experiment was divided into two phases where the first animals were monitored as to urine pH during antepartum and serum calcium levels in the first three days postpartum. In the second stage, the animals were divided into two groups based on the levels of serum calcium until 24 hours postpartum, with: G1 (n = 6) animals with serum calcium above 8 mg/dL and G2 (n = 8) animals less than 8 mg/dL serum calcium. Levels of serum cholesterol in the second and tenth days postpartum and levels of serum beta- hydroxybutyrate were evaluated on the tenth day postpartum. We observed a reduction in serum cholesterol values of both the second and the tenth day after delivery and an increase in serum levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate in G2 in comparison with G1. Thus, it can be concluded that subclinical hypocalcemia adversely affects the energy metabolism, that demonstrated by decreased levels of serum cholesterol and elevated serum levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate.