Changes in albumin, globulin, glucose and cholesterol concentrations in the blood of dairy cows in late pregnancy and early lactation and relationships with subsequent fertility

Abstract

Weekly blood samples were collected from 42 Friesian cows between 5 weeks before and 10 weeks after calving, and analysed for serum cholesterol, albumin, total protein, glutamate-dehydrogenase, sorbitol-dehydrogenase and ornithine-carbamyl-transferase and blood glucose.Cholesterol concentrations increased 2^-fold during the first 8 weeks of lactation. There was also a transient decrease in glucose concentration at calving, but there was no relationship between conception rate and the concentrations of these two constituents.Albumin concentrations decreased at calving in some but not all cows and remained low for up to 2 weeks. Average concentrations of albumin determined by two analytical methods, a HABA dye-binding and a single radial diffusion assay method, were significantly lower (P < 0-05) between 0 and 2 weeks post-partum in eight cows which required four or more services than in 32 cows which conceived after fewer services. Similarly, the average decrease in concentration over calving was greater in those cows which conceived only after four or more services (P < 001).Globulin concentrations (total protein minus albumin) decreased during the 5 weeks before, and increased in the 3 weeks following calving. The net change over calving was significantly related to conception rate, and the albumin/globulin ratio was reduced (P < 0-001) in the eight cows requiring four or more services.Activities of all three enzymes doubled after calving, but there was no correlation between these increases and the decreases in albumin concentration, suggesting that, if liver insufficiency is a factor, it is probably due to malfunction rather than tissue damage. o r c l o s e t o calving, and have shown that concentrations may not return to pre-calving values until In a study of 351 dairy cows sampled between 2 or 3 months later. Little (1974) showed that the 40 and 100 days post-calving, Rowlands, Little & decrease does not occur in all cows, and concluded Kitchenham (1977) found a negative association that those affected synthesized less albumin. The between serum albumin concentration and both cows in which albumin concentrations decrease milk yield and the number of services required for least at calving, or recover most quickly, are likely conception.to be those with the highest concentrations in early Several authors (Hojovcova, 1966;Little, 1974; lactation. Manston et al. 1975;Rowlands et al. 1975; Szulc, The objectives of the study described Treacher et al. 1976) have noted decreases paper were to ascertain the degree to which indiin serum albumin concentration in dairy cows at vidual cows show such characteristic changes in • Present address: Nuffield Department of Clinical albumin concentration, to test the hypothesis Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.(Rowlands, 1978) that cows which are better able

Pattern of serum protein fractions in dairy cows during different stages of gestation and lactation

“…Regarding the concentration of albumin at calving, some authors found a decrease in some but not in all cows studied (Rowlands et al 1980) while others found a general decrease (Little, 1974;Rowlands & Manston, 1983;Park et al 2010;Grünberg et al 2011). Regarding the concentration of albumin at calving, some authors found a decrease in some but not in all cows studied (Rowlands et al 1980) while others found a general decrease (Little, 1974;Rowlands & Manston, 1983;Park et al 2010;Grünberg et al 2011).…”

The Relationships between the Fertility of Dairy Cows and Clinical and Biochemical Measurements, with Special Reference to Plasma Glucose and Milk Acetone

“…The Relationships between the Fertility of Dairy Cows 609 different clinical and biochemical measurements as indicators of nutritional energy balance, and have then related them to the cows' fertility (for references see ROWLANDS, 1980). There have been experiments which indicate that low blood glucose (MCCLURE, 1968(MCCLURE, , 1970RICHARDS et al, 1987), increased ketone bodies (REFSDAL, 1977;ANDERSON and EMANUELSSON, 1985), low serum albumin ( ROWLANDS et al, 1980), high blood urea (FERGIJSON et a]., 1988), high or low serum phosphorus (HEWETT, 1974;PUGH et al, 1985), other mineral imbalances ( PUGH et al, 1985), reduced liver function ( REID et al, 1979), reduced bodyweight (MCCLURE, 1970HEINONEN et al, 1988), energy deficit (VILLA- GODOY et al, 1988;BUTLER and SMITH, 1989) and overfeeding with protein ( HEWEIT, 1974;CHALUPA, 1984) can all be related to fertility problems.…”

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“…The plasma concentration of calcium is close to the dependency of endocrine control, which is likely to mask the effects of short-term changes in dietary intakes [6].…”