These associations indicated that prepartum energy metabolism contributes to the development of RP. Serum concentrations of cholesterol and FAs may be useful to identify cows with a metabolic abnormality or energy imbalance that might predispose them to RP and should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical risk factors such as twinning, dystocia, or parturient paresis.
Red deer, venous blood, biochemical values, haematology, high altitudeIn recent years red deer has been farmed in Mexico. Some biochemical and haematological analytes have been described in this species, however, their values depend mainly on nutrition, management and environmental conditions. Biochemical and haematological values are important for monitoring of health status and diagnosis of diseases. Great differences were described in values of plasma analytes, especially in concentrations of Na + and K + in red deer ( W ilson and Pauli 1983;Knox et al. 1988;Hargreaves and Matthews 1995).The objective of this study was to determine biochemical and haematological values in venous blood of farm red deer in central Mexico at the altitude of 2 450 m.
Materials and MethodsBlood biochemical values were determined in 30 red deer (Cervus elaphus) (15 males, 15 females) and haematological values in 60 animals (30 males and 30 females) aged 5 months, average body mass 53.9 kg without clinical signs of disease. The animals were kept on pasture in the Valley of central Mexico at the altitude of 2 450 m. The climate was moderate, rainy during summer, with average temperature between 5 and 14 °C. The pasture was composed of rye grass, orchard, kikuyo, white clover and alfalfa. Daily calculated dry matter consume was 2.06 kg per animal. During sampling the animals without sedation were gently restrained in standing position, in a small pen, with covered eyes and plugged ears.Samples of blood were taken from jugular vein into plain tubes for biochemical analyses, into tubes containing EDTA k3 for haematological analyses and in syringes previously coated with 2 per cent heparin Na for determination of acid-base values. The air bubbles were expelled from the syringe immediately after blood collection and then the needle was inserted into a rubber stopper to prevent exposure of sample to air. The sealed syringes after collection were immersed in a mixture of ice and water.
Serum nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations are used to evaluate energy status in peripartum dairy cows. Blood samples from 37 cows in the week before parturition and 47 cows in the first week after parturition from 3 dairy herds were taken 1h before the first feeding (-1h) as well as 4 and 10h after the first feeding. Nonesterified fatty acid concentrations were measured in samples from cows before calving and BHBA was measured in samples from lactating cows. Mean NEFA concentrations in the prepartum cows were significantly higher at -1h (0.20 mmol/L) than at 4h (0.14 mmol/L), but were not different between 4 and 10h (0.17 mmol/L). Using a cutpoint of NEFA > or = 0.4 mmol/L, 32% of cows had high concentrations at -1h compared with 16% of the same cows at 4 and 10h. There were no differences in mean BHBA between -1h (646 micromol/L) and 4h (596 micromol/L), but mean BHBA was higher at 10h (711 micromol/L) than at -1h. Using a cutpoint of BHBA > or = 1,400 micromol/L, there were no differences in the proportions of high BHBA, which were 9, 11, and 13% of cows at -1, 4, and 10h, respectively. Prandial effects on serum NEFA may affect interpretation of this analyte. In order not to misclassify cows when assessing energy status, samples for NEFA must at least be taken at a consistent time relative to feeding within a given herd. When sampling cows to monitor elements of energy metabolism in the prepartum period, there was twice the probability of detecting animals with NEFA values > or = 0.4 mmol/L if they were sampled 1h before the first feed delivery compared with sampling the same cows 4 or 10h after feeding.
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