Prevalence of subclinical ketosis in anestrum dairy cows

Abstract

Subclinical Ketosis, questionably the most significant metabolic disease in dairy cattle due to negative energy balance (NEB) during lactation. NEB reflects directly on the production and metabolic diseases. Estimation of ketones and Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) for sub-clinical ketosis in Post-partum anestrum animals reflects the metabolic status of the animal. Follicular dynamics often gets impaired in the cows with ketosis. Ten healthy and ten post-partum anestrum cows are selected for this study. Blood, serum and urine samples were collected and subjected for analysis of NEFA, blood ketones and urinalysis. No significant differences could be observed for NEFA in anestrum animals. However, 80 per cent of anestrum animals showed elevated blood ketones and marked difference in urinary ketones. Hence subclinical ketosis plays a major influence in resumption of postpartum cyclicity and diagnosis of subclinical ketosis by estimation of blood ketones is more reliable than the estimation of NEFA. By using bovine specific ketone-meter the diagnosis of subclinical ketosis especially in the postpartum period is more sensitive and will help in prevention of prolonged anestrum.