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Influence of liver fat on post-partum hormone profiles in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

Elaine D. Watson  and
Linda A. Williams
Elaine D. Watson
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire RG16 0NN
Linda A. Williams
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Research on Animal Diseases, Compton, Newbury, Berkshire RG16 0NN
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Abstract

Cows (no. = 11) were classified from liver biopsies taken 7 to 10 days after calving as having mild (FL1, no. = 6), or moderate (FL2, no. = 5) fatty infiltration of the liver. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein: (1) three times weekly and assayed for progesterone and oestradiol; (2) at 10-min intervals for 8-h periods on three occasions during the early post-partum period and assayed for LH; (3) every 2 h, with ovarian palpation performed every 4 h around the second or third post-partum ovulation, and assayed for LH and oestradiol.

Mean weekly concentrations of oestradiol were not significantly different between FL1 and FL2 cows. FL2 cows tended to have short (< 17 days) first cycles (3/4 FL2 v. 0/5 FL1) with significantly lower concentrations of plasma progesterone (P < 0·05). Mean basal concentrations of LH in the samples collected at 10-min intervals tended to be lower in FL2 than in FL1 cows; however, the difference was significant only in the 2nd week of sampling (P = 0·05). Mean basal concentrations of LH were significantly higher in weeks 3 and 4 than in week 2 in FL1 but not in FL2 cows (P < 0·05). The frequency and amplitude of LH pulses were not affected by week of sampling or by fat content of the liver. The total area under the profile of LH during the pre-ovulatory surge was lower in FL2 than in FL1 cows (P < 0·05) but peak plasma concentrations of pre-ovulatory oestradiol and timing of ovulation after the LH surge were similar.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , August 1987 , pp. 9 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1987

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