INTRODUCTION

1. METABOLIC PROFILES IN DAIRY COWS AFFECTED BY KETOSIS AND RETAINED PLACENTA Fiore E.1, Lora M.1, Van Saun R.J.2, Stefani A.3,Gianesella M.1, Armato L.1, Morgante M.1 1 University of Padua, Department of Animal Medicine, Productions and Health, Legnaro (PD), Italy; 2 Pennsylvania State University, Department of Veterinary & Biomedical Science, State College, USA; 3Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro (PD), Italy. INTRODUCTION Most pathological events experienced by dairy cows occur in the Transition Period. Ketosis and Retained Placenta (RP) are diseases most common in the period after the calving. Blood biochemical analyses are frequently used by veterinarians for disease diagnosis. AIM Objectives of thisstudy were to determine effects of time relative to calving and health status on blood metabolite concentrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Metabolic profiles were performed on plasma samples collected from 81 cows selected from 8 dairy farms in the Northeast Italy. Blood sampling was carried out 7±5 d before and 7±5 d after the calving. Metabolic profile analyses included Albumin (Alb), Calcium (Ca), Chloride (Cl), Phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Urea (UREA), Total Protein (TP), Globulin (Glob), AlkalinePhosphatase (ALP), AspartateAminotransferase (AST), Glucose(Glu), Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB), Non-EsterifiedFattyAcids (NEFA). Diseasediagnosisand treatment events were recorded. Blood metabolites were evaluated by a repeated measures model with period, health and their interaction as main effects and herd as a covariate. The data collectedwere statistically analyzed with SAS 9.3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Of all postcalving cows, 54.9 % had one or more disease events, 32.0% presented RP, 31.6% had subclinical ketosis(>1.1 mmol/L BHB <2.9 mmol/L) and 7.38% had clinical ketosis(BHB > 2.9 mmol/L). Time period influenced disease event, ketosis and RP(P<0.0001) and all metabolite concentrations, except Alb, Glob, Na and PT. Disease event influenced NEFA(P<0.0061), BHB(P<0.0036), Alb(P<0.02), GTP(P<0.0001), MG(P<0.003) and K(P<0.0001) independent of time period. Ketosis status influenced NEFA(P<0.0001),BHB(P<0.0001), GTP(P<0.0001) and K(P<0.0001) independent of time period. RP status influenced NEFA(P<0.0465), BHB(P<0.0004) and GTP(P<0.0117) and K(P<0.0001) and UREA (P<0.0136) independent of time period. Farm was significant(P<0.0001) in all metabolite models, except Alb, GTP and Cl. P.values of correlation between Total Disease Events, Ketosis, Retained Placenta and metabolic values during Pre and Post-Partum Period. N.S: Not Significant CONCLUSIONS These data suggest reference ranges for diagnostic interpretation of blood metabolite concentrations should be adjusted to time periods relative to calving. Interactions between time period and health status suggest pre-partum blood metabolite concentrations may provide some indication to postpartum disease risk and can be useful as a herd monitoring tool. Corresponding Author: Enrico Fiore, DVM, PhD-Student – Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD) – Italy Tel.+390498272942 Fax.+390498272954. E-mail: enricofiore3@hotmail.it