The aim of the presented study is to compare beta-hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA), glucose (GLU) gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and albumin (Alb) values of healthy animals and animals suffering from subclinical ketosis. The material in this study consisted of 15 healthy cows and 15 cows with subclinical ketosis on a commercial dairy farm located in Bursa (Turkey). Significant differences (p<0.001) were observed in BHBA, GLU, and Ca between the two groups. Results of this study might indicate the importance of calcium metabolism in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Studies were conducted in highly productive dairy cows in connection with the establishment of the changes in the values of body condition score (BCS), β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in their blood. For this purpose were used 158 Holstein cows with yearly milk yield of 9000–11000 L in their 1 st to 4 th lactation. The cows were divided into 3 groups: I group (pregnant cows); II group (recently calved) and III group (lactating cows). Blood concentrations of BHBA were assayed in all cows and on the basis of results, they were classifies as healthy (control, C), affected with subclinical ketosis (SCK) and clinical ketosis (CK). The levels of NEFA were determined in the blood of the targeted animals. Evaluation of BCS of the cows was conducted at 5 points system. It was found that the quantity of BHBA in cows from groups I, II and III with SCK signs was statistically significantly elevated vs control cows and ranged from 1.57±0.55 mmol/l to 1.73±0.61 mmol/l, (p<0.001). There were no BHBA values > 2.6 mmol/l, e.g. CK in cows from the first group. In cows of the groups II and III with CK signs, blood BHBA was statistically significantly increased vs control cows and vs animals with SCK and were 4.27±1.29 mmol/l and 4.75±1.36 mmol/l (p<0.001), respectively. The evaluation of BCS of cows with SCK signs, showed a trend falsity decrease compared to the control groups and were between 3.0±0.41-3.25±0.36. In cows from groups II and III with CK signs BCS decreased and were 2.75±0.32 for the second group and 2.51±0.31 for the third group (p <0.05). In cows of the groups I, II and III with SCK quantities of NEFA were from 0.48±0.03 mmol/l to 0.84±0.03 mmol/l, while that of the second and third groups with CK were between 0.35±0.01 mmol/l and 0.68±0.02 mmol/l.

Water buffaloes response to lactation is different from cattle and evidenced by a low incidence of parturition or production related metabolic disorders [1]. The levels of glucose and calcium are fairly stable during early lactation in buffaloes [2,3] and it has been reported that the metabolites like glucose, calcium, phospholipids, magnesium and insulin are higher in buffaloes compared to cattle [4]. A number of studies have demonstrated the effect of time since calving on the metabolic profile of buffaloes [5]. It was reported that during peak lactation buffaloes metabolize body reserves to supplement the lower amounts of bloodstream lipids [6], however, this lipid mobilization was lower compared to cattle [1]. It has been shown that during the first two months after parturition, the glucose concentration decreased [7], whereas non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and cholesterol increase in lactating buffaloes [7,8]. However, buffaloes have less intense negative energy balance compared to dairy cattle probably because of a lower milk yield [5,9]. Serum triglyceride concentrations increase during lactation and show a positive correlation with milk fat levels in buffaloes [10] probably because buffaloes produce fattier milk. Increase in liver triacylglycerol and NEFA are observed during late pregnancy and after parturition in buffalo similar to cows, however, the increase in buffalo was lower compared to cows with no indication of fatty liver in the parturient buffalo [11]. Low incidence of ketosis in buffalo can partially be explained by a lower milk yield and less intense negative energy balance at parturition and a lower thyroid activity in lactating buffalo [12]. The rumen physiology of the buffalo appears to be different from cattle [13]. With a ruminal pH of 6.28 [14] the buffalo has a good ability of buffering capacity and adaptation of rumen microorganisms to different conditions of energy and protein in the diet [13]. Moreover buffalo rumen has a capacity for improvement in the digestibility of non-structural carbohydrates with high fibre [15]. It is probable that there are some yet poorly understood mechanisms that contribute to a low incidence of ketosis in buffalo. Milk fever has been mentioned as an important metabolic disorder of the transition cow with mortality of 5-10% cows affected with this disorder [16]. Although calcium and phosphorous contents of milk are low during early lactation in both cattle and buffalo [17] yet milk fever is less prevalent in the buffalo and contrarily phosphorous deficiency parturient hemoglobinuria is common in buffaloes compared to cattle [18-20]. The reasons for such a disparity are poorly known and are only partly explainable on the basis of a lower milk production in the buffalo. Likewise hypomagnesemia or grass tetany and downers syndrome are common in cattle but uncommon in the buffaloes with exceptionally few reports on these two disorders [21-24]. In this chapter we describe the metabolic disorders in parturient buffalo; milk fever, ketosis, hypomagnesemia and parturient hemoglobinuria. 1. Milk Fever (Parturient Paresis) Milk fever is a metabolic disease commonly seen in high producing dairy buffaloes [25-28], similar to that seen in dairy cattle, and is characterized by general muscle weakness, incoordination and depressed consciousness within a few days before or after calving [29]. Compared to cattle blood calcium levels show limited variability in buffalo during pregnancy, lactation and dry milk period [1,30]; higher levels were recorded during the last month of pregnancy and lower ones at the end of lactation [3,8]. Although deficiency of calcium was recorded in the soil and forages fed to buffaloes in many studies [31-35] clinical disease was not recorded. The almost constant serum levels of calcium, phosphorous, parathyroid hormone and the low concentration during late pregnancy and early lactation in buffaloes in one study indicated that buffalo need to utilize only a little of their endogenous mineral resources [30]. It has also been mentioned that buffaloes are able to meet their requirement of calcium from the coarse roughages whereas on similar roughages cattle show negative balances [36] indicating that buffaloes have an inherent better capability for mineral retention. All these factors probably contribute to a lower incidence of milk fever in the buffalo. In buffalo species calcium excess is considered to alter the Ca/P ratio during the dry milk period, including parathyroid hypoactivity which would cause magnesium to increase and calcium to decrease at the beginning of lactation due to non-immediate mobilization of calcium by the bones [4]. The altered Ca/Mg ratio

Subclinical ketosis is usually unnoticed and typically associated with serious disease risk, lower milk production, poor reproductive performance, and decreased profitability of dairy farms. This study was conducted to achieve clinical, Some serum biochemical and hematological alternation in cows with subclinical ketosis. From the period between October 2020 and end of January 2021, 80 blood samples were obtained from recently calved cows through a cross-sectional survey in different areas of Mosul city. The findings of the current study indicated that the prevalence of subclinical ketosis in crossbreed cows was 22/80 (27.5%) depending on the concentration of BHB in the serum as determined by ELISA test at the cutoff point (≥1.2-≤ 1.4 mmol / L). No significant difference (p <0.05) was noted in pulse rate, respiration rate, and temperature, while, significant decrease (p<0.05) of the rumen contractions in animals with subclinical Ketosis (4.21 ± 0.30) was noted compared to the control group (9.4 ± 1.22). Significant increase (p <0.05) was manifested in the serum concentrations of BHB and NEFA (1.289 ± 0.014 mmol / L, 0.539 ± 0.11 mmol / L) respectively in the cows affected with Subclinical ketosis, compared with the control group. Coefficient Correlation analysis showed a positively significant (p <0.01) relationship (r = 0.610) between the concentration of NEFA and BHB in animals with subclinical ketosis. There was significant decrease in serum glucose 37.981 ± 0.987 mg / dL for the subclinical ketosis cows, in comparison with the control group. Therefore, this study indicates that subclinical ketosis is prevalent among dairy cows. Blood BHBA and NEFA concentrations are potentially useful tool for the routine monitoring of subclinical ketosis in early postpartum dairy cows. To minimize economic losses from SCK disease, it is highly recommended that there is regular monitoring of metabolic tests for the duration of the transition period.

A five year old Murrah buffalo was presented to Veterinary Clinical Complex of College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Bikaner with the history of parturition before 25 days and had clinical signs of dullness, depression, selective anorexia (refusal to feed on concentrate), drastic reduction in milk yield, head pressing against wall, ketotic odor from urine, breath and milk and rapid loss of body condition. All the clinical parameters such as temperature (100.5°F), respiration rate (16/min) and pulse rate (48/min) were within normal range. The diagnosis of ketosis was confirmed on the basis of history, clinical signs, positive Rothera’s test for ketone bodies in urine and by blood glucose level estimation which revealed hypoglycemia in animal. Buffalo was treated successfully with parenteral administration of dextrose, corticosteroid and vitamin B-complex.