<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0038_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Recumbency is a frequent symptom occurring throughout lactation. Its cause can be related to the energy or mineral metabolism, or to trauma or infectious diseases. We compared various clinical chemistry parameters between healthy and recumbent cows and between cows with different causes of recumbency and determined if hypocalcaemia manifests in later lactation.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0038_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>Recumbent (n = 32) and healthy (n = 32) German Holstein cows were studied. After clinical examination, a serum sample was taken to measure the concentrations of Mg, Ca, Fe, Na, K, Pi, β-hydroxybutyrate, total bilirubin, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), urea, and creatinine as well as activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and γ-glutamyl transferase in recumbent cows > 5 d in milk and control cows matched for age, lactation number, and pregnancy stage.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0038_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>In recumbent cows, mean serum concentrations of NEFA, bilirubin, and CK were statistically higher, while those of Fe, K, and Pi were significantly lower. Parameters compared between different recumbency diagnoses showed some descriptive Fe, K, urea, and AST differences, but these were not statistically significant.</p></sec>

<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0038_s_008">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The results show that only a limited number of parameters have diagnostic besides therapeutic value. Although of minor importance in our study, hypocalcaemia should be considered a cause of recumbency, even outside the typical risk period of parturient paresis.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Recumbency is a frequent symptom occurring throughout lactation. Its cause can be related to the energy or mineral metabolism, or to trauma or infectious diseases. We compared various clinical chemistry parameters between healthy and recumbent cows and between cows with different causes of recumbency and determined if hypocalcaemia manifests in later lactation.

Material and Methods
Recumbent (n = 32) and healthy (n = 32) German Holstein cows were studied. After clinical examination, a serum sample was taken to measure the concentrations of Mg, Ca, Fe, Na, K, Pi, β-hydroxybutyrate, total bilirubin, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), urea, and creatinine as well as activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and γ-glutamyl transferase in recumbent cows > 5 d in milk and control cows matched for age, lactation number, and pregnancy stage.

Results
In recumbent cows, mean serum concentrations of NEFA, bilirubin, and CK were statistically higher, while those of Fe, K, and Pi were significantly lower. Parameters compared between different recumbency diagnoses showed some descriptive Fe, K, urea, and AST differences, but these were not statistically significant.


Conclusion
The results show that only a limited number of parameters have diagnostic besides therapeutic value. Although of minor importance in our study, hypocalcaemia should be considered a cause of recumbency, even outside the typical risk period of parturient paresis.

Clinical chemistry investigations in recumbent and healthy German Holstein cows after the fifth day in milk

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction
Recumbency is a frequent symptom occurring throughout lactation. Its cause can be related to the energy or mineral metabolism, or to trauma or...

Clinical chemistry investigations in recumbent and healthy German Holstein cows after the fifth day in milk

Published Online: Sep 13, 2019

Page range: 383 - 390

Received: Dec 14, 2018

Accepted: Jul 02, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2019-0038

Keywords
cattle, lactation, hypocalcaemia, recumbency

© 2019 J. Weber et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Clinical chemistry investigations in recumbent and healthy German Holstein cows after the fifth day in milk

Published Online: Sep 13, 2019

Page range: 383 - 390

Received: Dec 14, 2018

Accepted: Jul 02, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2019-0038

Keywordscattle, lactation, hypocalcaemia, recumbency

© 2019 J. Weber et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
cattle, lactation, hypocalcaemia, recumbency