Studies on Ketosis in Dairy Cattle. V. The Development of Ketosis

Abstract

Ketosis in cows, as measured by hypoglycemia and ketonemia, began to develop within one to three days after parturition. Prior to parturition there was no ketonemia and the blood glucose values did not deviate markedly from that observed in normal cows. Glucose determinations following the injection of adrenalin showed that the liver glycogen was markedly depleted in cows with ketosis and also indicated that the liver glycogen content was low prior to parturition and the onset of ketosis. Glucose tolerance tests showed that added glucose was removed from the blood of cows with ketosis fully as rapidly as from normal cows. Arteriovenous studies demonstrate that the mammary gland continues to remove a normal quantity of glucose from the blood even in marked hypoglycemia. Milk production is adversely affected in hypoglycemia and ketonemia even when a normal food intake is maintained. The maintenance of a high energy intake prior to and following parturition did not prevent the onset of ketosis. Most of the analytical work was carried out at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, which is close to the herd on which these observations were made. The author wishes to thank Dr. E. M. Bailey for his courtesy in providing this space. © 1943, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.