Status of carbohydrate metabolism in dairy cows with ketosis

Abstract

This paper contains analysis of carbohydrate metabolism and hormonal regulation of energy metabolism in ketotic cows. It has been revealed that glucose concentration in blood was lower by 29.3 % (P<0.01) in comparison with healthy animals, which is a result of imbalance between energy income with food and energy expenditure for metabolic processes and milk synthesis. Under energy deficit conditions in organism of diseased cows insulin level decreased by 54.7 %, (P<0.01) and cortisol level increased by 41 % (P<0.01). This shows evidence of gluconeogenesis intensification by means of lipolysis and proteolysis. At the same time, plasma level of ketogenic amino acids was higher and level of glycogenic amino acids was lower: the concentration of phenylalanine, tyrosine and leucine increased by 22.2 % (P<0.05), 3.8 % and 62.5 % (P<0.01), respectively, and the level of alanine, arginine and asparagine decreased by 19 %, 32.8 % and 30.2 % (P<0.05), respectively, in comparison with healthy animals. The obtained results suggest alteration of ketone bodies usage by muscle tissue in the function of energy material. The animals with disease experience intensified lipid oxidation and usage of ketogenic amino acids, which results in compensation of energy deficit, but leads to accumulation of ketone bodies in blood.