Analysis of factors affecting the electric conductivity of cow's milk--breed, locale, season

The problem was studied in a set of 678 mammary glands of 212 cows - crossbreds between the Holstein-Friesian breed with the Slovak Spotted cattle, crossbreds of the Black-Pied Lowland and Bohemian Spotted breed, and three-way crossbreds of the Black-Pied Lowland, Swedish White and Bohemian Spotted cattle. The confrontation of the confidence intervals of milk conductivity (MC) in healthy mammary glands at alpha = 0.05 showed that in the crossbreds of the Black-Pied Lowland cattle the MC was statistically significantly higher than in the breed types of the Holstein-Friesian cattle. The MC values decrease when there is a larger proportion of the blood of beef-and-dairy cattle (Slovak Spotted and Bohemian Spotted breeds). The locality where the stock was kept was found to act as an important factor underlying MC only in cases when both the geographical conditions and breed proportions were different. In a set homogenized with respect to the breeds, statistically significant differences in MC were demonstrated between the spring and summer season, spring and autumn, summer and autumn, and autumn and winter season.     

Mineral levels of the arterial and venous blood in cows

The values of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sodium in the arterial and venous blood of cows before and after milking two to three months from calving were found to be within the standard range. The differences are not significant. In venous blood the values are lower than in arterial blood, which proves that minerals are utilized by the organisms for milk production. The values of minerals in the blood of the Slovak Spotted cows are higher than in the blood of the Black--Pied Lowland cows; they are also higher in the blood of lower-performance cows than in the blood of cows giving high milk yields. This means in practice that Black-Pied Lowland cows and high-performance cows need a higher supply of minerals to their blood stream.     

Superovulation after administration of PMSG in cows of various breeds

Superovulation response was studied to i. m. administration of 2500 and 3000 i. u. of PMSG (special product Folligon, Intervet Co.) in 67 breeding cows of the Black-Pied Lowland. Slovak Pied and Slovak Pinzgau breeds within the 9th to 12th days of their sexual cycles. The time which had elapsed from these cows' last calving ranged from 50 to 150 days and the number of their prior calvings ranged from one to ten. The best superovulation effect was obtained after the administration of 2500 i. u. PMSG in the Pinzgau breed: these cows had, on the average, 13.20 +/- 2.36 corpora lutea without non-ovulated follicles. At the PMSG dose increased to 3000 i. u., the number of yellow bodies rose to 18.11 +/- 1.12 and that of non-ovulated follicles to 3.46 +/- 0.46. In the Slovak Pied breed the average number of yellow bodies obtained after administration of 2500 i. u. PMSG was 11.74 +/- 1.27 and that of non-ovulated follicles was 0.44 +/- 0.02. At the PMSG dose of 3000 i. u., the number of yellow bodies increased to 15.49 +/- 1.62 and that of non-ovulated follicles increased up to 5.12 +/- 0.81. In the Black-Pied Lowland breed the lowest response was obtained: the i. m. administration of 2500 i. u. PMSG resulted in the formation of 9.5 +/- 0.84 yellow bodies and 1.16 +/- 0.26 non-ovulated follicles, and at the dose of 3000 i. u. the respective numbers were 13.41 +/- 0.89 and 3.07 +/- 0.39. Comparing the superovulation effect in dependence on age, the response of the cows of the Black-Pied Lowland and Slovak Pinzgau breeds to PMSG administration increases until the age of nine years (from 9.79 and 13.6 yellow bodies, respectively, on the average for the first five years to 12.71 and 17.99, respectively, in the ninth year); in the Slovak Pinzgau breed it decreases from 15.83, recorded in the first five years, to 8.28 +/- 1.68 in the ninth year. The number of non-ovulated follicles grows with age in the Slovak Pinzgau breed from 3.46 +/- 0.46 in the first five years to 3.64 between five and nine years of age and up to 4.44 +/- 0.52 after the ninth year, in the Slovak Pied breed from 0.79 to 4.21 +/- 0.38, and in the Black-Pied Lowland breed from 2.69 to 3.20 +/- 0.22 between the fifth and ninth year.     

Relation between the biochemical composition of the blood of cows and variations in milk production

A significantly lower alkaline phosphatase activity was recorded in the arterial blood of cows with higher milk efficiency. They also had higher sugar contents in their blood: highly significantly in arterial blood and significantly in venous blood after milking. As to the other blood components, the differences are low and insignificant. A significant positive relationship between the daily milk yield and the content of ash in blood (mainly in venous blood before milking), highly significant positive relationship between protein content in arterial blood and daily milk yield, and significant to highly significant negative relationship between the activity of alkaline phosphatase in arterial and venous blood before milking and the level of gamma-globulins in arterial blood were recorded in the group of cows with higher milk output. In the group of cows with lower milk production, significant to highly significant negative relationships were obtained between protein content in blood and the daily milk yield (in arterial and venous blood before milking).     

Relation between biochemical parameters in the blood of cows and milk production

No differences in blood samples were found out when the biochemical parameters in arterial and venous blood of dairy cows were compared before and after milking. Negative correlation coefficient (r = -0.3460) approaching the significance level was determined by comparing the values for milk yield on the day of sampling (in ascending phase of lactation) and protein content in venous blood after milking, and significant negative correlation coefficient (r = -0.3813) for daily milk yield and gamma-globulin concentration in venous blood before milking. The relationship between butterfat content on the day of milking and the values of alkaline phosphatase can be characterized by significant up to highly significant negative correlation coefficients in all three blood samples (r = -0.3232 to -0.3908).     

Relation of the levels of mineral substances in the blood of cows, the quantity of milk and the fat content of the milk

No explicit relations to the milk yield on the day of sampling were found when studying the content of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and sodium in the arterial and venous blood of cows before and after milking in the peak lactation period. However, there is a tendency of higher milk yields at higher phosphorus levels in the milk of the Black-Pied and higher-yielding cows. Some relations to milk fat content were found to be significant: a positive effect of phosphorus content in the blood of Slovak Spotted cows, a positive effect of calcium and magnesium content in the blood of more productive cows and a negative effect of magnesium content in the blood of less productive cows.     

Incidence of mastitis in cows of various breeds and their crosses-- estimation of the heredity of this disease

In a large set of cows (24,165 head), consisting prevailingly of Bohemian Pied breed, Black Pied Lowland and Holstein breeds, and of their crosses, significant differences in the incidence of mastitis were proved. Mastitis was demonstrated by the bacteriological findings in milk. The lowest mean incidence was recorded in the cows of the acclimatized Bohemian Pied breed (8.0%). As observed in the examined population, the increasing genetic proportion of solely dairy breeds results in higher demands on the environment, and the susceptibility of animals to mastitis usually increases. In three-breed crosses of this set, mastitis was found in 699 animals, i. e. in 25.4%. With respect to mastitis prevalence, a heritability estimate was performed on the basis of the first and second lactation using the method of alternative characters. In the Bohemian Pied breed, the heritability estimate was ?2 = 0.17 +/- +/- 0.08, in the Black Pied Lowland breed ?2 = 0.28 +/- 0.14.     

Blood levels of nitrogenous substances in dairy cows with high and low production

In blood serum of dairy cows of the Slovak Pied breed with high and low performance, the levels of total protein, urea, amino nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen and uric acid were studied over the period of four to six weeks after calving. Total protein was determined by the Bio-La-test, amino nitrogen by means of ninhydrin, non-protein nitrogen by Berthelot agent and uric acid by Benedict agent. In comparison with dairy cows with low performance, the dairy cows with high performance had a statistically significantly higher level of total protein, urea, amino nitrogen and non-protein nitrogen. The differences in uric acid content were statistically insignificant.     

Genetic markers in the blood and their relation to metabolic parameters in dairy cows

A relationship between the genetic markers of blood (blood groups, serum polymorphic proteins) and the clinico-chemical parameters was studied in the dairy cows of the Slovak Pied breed. Antigens belonging to systems A, B, C, F, S, R, T, Z and the polymorphic traits genetically controlled from loci Tf, Cp, Am and Hb were identified in all the animals subjected to testing. The values of the parameters of acid-base balance and concentration of 13 metabolic components were repeatedly determined in the experimental period. The results of the F-test indicated that there were no significant differences in the values of any of the tested parameters between the phenotypes of the A, J, Am, Tf and Cp systems. Of the 21 parameters tested, statistically significant differences were found in 11 parameters between some alleles of the C, FV, T, Z and Hb systems.     

Estradiol, progesterone and cyclic nucleotides in the fluid of persistent follicles and luteal phase follicles in the estrus cycle in cows]

The objective of the present study was to compare the concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic quinosine monophosphate in the largest follicles of cows that persist for seven days after insemination following the preceding synchronization of oestrus and superovulation and in follicles of the luteal phase of cycle (5th-10th days). Animals included in the experiment were selected on the basis of rectal examination. Synchronization of oestrus was achieved in 24 crossbreds of Slovak Pied x Lowland Black Pied breeds (SS x Nc) using two doses of cloprostenol of Czechoslovak provenience Oestrophan Spofa, 500 micrograms in each, within 11 days. Serum gonadotrophin at the amount of 2500 I. U. was administered forty-eight hours before administration of the second dose PGF2 alpha. Experimental animals were inseminated after 72 hours. On the 7th day after mating the cows were killed at a slaughterhouse. Evaluated were only the ovaries of the 14 cows in which the persistent large follicles occurred. Ovaries of the 13 control cows in the luteal phase between the 5th-10th days were obtained at the slaughterhouse by the method after Ireland et al. (1980). Correct determination of the phase of sexual cycle was substantiated by determination of progesterone concentrations in blood serum. Follicular fluid was obtained from the largest follicles by aspiration and centrifuged in a cooled centrifuge at 3000 G. The concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone in follicular fluid were determined using kits from URVJT at Kosice, designated RIA-test-ESTRA (SI-125-9) or RIA-test-Prog (SI-125-6).2+ persistent follicles (9.15 +/- 5.47 nmol.l-1).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Levels of cAMP, cGMP, 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone in the follicular fluid of the largest follicle during the follicular phase of the estrus cycle and after induced superovulation with gonadotropins in cows]

The objective of this study was to compare the concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, cAMP and cGMP in the follicular fluid of the largest cow follicle from the follicular phase of physiological sexual cycle and of follicles after synchronization of fut by cloprostenol (PGF2 alpha) and superovulation treatment with serum gonadotrophin (PMSG), in dependence on steroidal dominance of follicles. 2 x 25 cows, Slovak Pied x Lowland Black-Pied crossbreds with active corpus luteum, were subjected to superovulation treatment on the basis of rectal examination. Rut synchronization was achieved by cloprostenol of Czechoslovak provenience (Oestrophan Spofa), administered at the amount of 500 micrograms per dose. Serum gonadotrophin (Bioveta Concern, Ivanovice na Hané) at the amount of 2500 I. U. was administered forty-eight hours before the second dose of closprostenol. The animals were killed in slaughterhouses 48 hours later, or 72 hours later, since administration of the second dose of cloprostenol. The phase of the sexual cycle of control animals was determined by the method after Ireland et al. (1980) on the basis of morphological appearance of corpus luteum, presence of large preovulation follicle and by means of average concentrations of progesterone in blood serum. Aspirated follicular fluid was centrifuged using a cooling centrifuge at 3000 G. After separation, the supernatant was stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C until further treatment. 17 beta-estradiol and progesterone in the follicular fluid were determined by means of kits under the brand-names RIA-test-ESTRA (SI-125-9), or RIA-test-Prog (SI-125-6). Concentrations of cyclic nucleotides were determined by the RIA kits from the Institute vor Radioisotope Research, Production and Use (Prague), cAMP by 125J RIA kit (RIO12) and cGMP by 125J RIA (RIO42).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

营养与品种对肉牛血清中AMPK活性与血液生化指标关系的研究

本研究旨在探讨营养与品种对肉牛血清中磷酸腺苷活化蛋白激酶(AMPK)活性的影响及AMPK活性与血液生化指标的关系。选取体重为250 kg左右的西杂牛35头、利杂牛26头、夏杂牛24头,每个品种牛设低、中、高3个日粮营养水平,育肥期为10个月。试验结束后采集肉牛血液,分析营养与品种对血清中AMPK活性的影响,同时探讨AMPK活性与脂肪代谢相关生化指标的关系。结果表明:营养与品种对血液中各生化指标都不存在显著互作效应。从营养上看,高营养时AMPK活性和高密度脂蛋白(HDL)含量较低,乙酰辅酶A羧化酶(ACC)活性和甘油三酯(TG)、胆固醇(TC)含量都随着营养的提高而增加;从品种上看,利杂牛AMPK、ACC活性和HDL含量较高,夏杂牛TG、TC含量较高;营养与品种对HMGR活性和葡萄糖(GLU)含量都没有显著影响。AMPK活性与HDL含量呈正相关,与ACC、HMGR活性和TG、TC、GLU含量呈负相关。可见,高营养会降低AMPK活性,而品种差异也影响AMPK活性,AMPK活性与脂肪代谢密切相关,影响肉牛脂肪沉积。     

Level of free amino acids in the milk of cows in relation to values in arterial and venous blood

The levels of free amino acids in cow's milk vary greatly. The highest value of 164.484 mumol/l was recorded in glutamic acid, followed by glycine, alanine, lysine, and the lowest values were found in cystine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and isoleucine (5--10 mumol/l). The levels of free amino acids in milk and their order differ from the values and the order in blood. For a large proportion of free amino acids, significant to highly significant relations exist between the levels in arterial blood and venous blood before and after milking. On the other hand, significant positive correlations were found only between the level of cystine in arterial blood and in venous blood after milking, between threonine level in arterial blood and in venous blood before milking, and a highly significant negative correlation was recorded between the leucine level in venous blood before milking and the respective value in milk.     

Peripartal changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity and lactate dehydrogenase activity in dairy cows.

Peripartal serum alkaline phosphatase activity and lactate dehydrogenase activity were measured in 30 dairy cows in order to examine the association between retained fetal membranes and enzyme activity. Daily blood samples were obtained from pregnant cows, starting 15 days before the expected day of calving until eight days after parturition. Sera from 15 cows which retained fetal membranes longer than 24 hours and 15 cows which shed fetal membranes within six hours after parturition were analyzed for alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities. Mean alkaline phosphatase enzyme activities ranged from 15.93 to 32.6 U/L in retained and nonretained placenta cows. There was a trend towards higher serum alkaline phosphatase activities in retained placenta cows but the differences were not significant among the groups (P greater than 0.05). Mean lactate dehydrogenase activities ranged from 307.2 to 438.86 U/L in nonretained and retained placenta cows. Lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities in nonretained and retained placenta cows were similar (P greater than 0.05). The alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities peaked at the time of parturition in both groups. However, the differences in alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase activities on different days within non-retained and retained placenta cows were significant (P less than 0.05). Results indicate that prepartal changes in alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activities are not predictive of placental retention postpartum.     

Cytogenetic study of bovine leukosis

Nine dairy cows aged four to eleven years were subjected to examination by chromosomal analysis. These cows had been found, by haematological examination, to suffer from leucosis. The study also covered one ten-day-old calf - heifer. The test group included two dam-daughter pairs. The animals belonged to the Black-Pied Lowland breed. The blood was sampled from vena jugularis and the karyotypes were processed and evaluated by the method after Moorhead et al. (1960), modified by Lojda et al. (1974). A list was kept for each animal. The tested animals were included in classes by the percentages of the chromosome aberrations: class I - two animals (up to 10% of aberrations), class II - seven animals (from 10% to 20% of aberrations), class III - one animal (above 20% of aberrations). Hyposomy was found in all cases, polysomy and hyperploidy in four cases. Structural aberrations were observed in nine cases, breaks being the most frequent anomalies (7 cases). Breaks on sexual chromosomes were observed in five cases, including the dam-daughter pairs; centric fusion occurred in one case and mixed aberrations in two cases.     

谷氨酸渣对秦川肉牛生长发育和血液生化指标的影响

试验旨在研究添加不同水平的谷氨酸渣对秦川牛肉用新品系（以下简称"秦川肉牛"）生长发育和血液生化指标的影响。选取秦川肉牛18月龄公牛、母牛及8月龄阉牛各12头,按照单因素随机区组设计分成4组,每组9头牛（含3头公牛、3头母牛和3头阉牛）,各组添加不同水平的谷氨酸渣替代日粮中部分豆粕,即对照组（0）、试验Ⅰ组（1.5%）、试验Ⅱ组（3.0%）、试验Ⅲ组（4.5%）。试验期100 d,期间进行采食量和体重测定,试验结束后采集血样进行血液生化指标测定。结果表明：试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组肉牛平均日增重（ADG）显著高于对照组（P<0.05）,且试验Ⅱ组显著高于试验Ⅰ组和Ⅲ组（P<0.05）;试验Ⅱ、Ⅲ组肉牛干物质采食量（DMI）显著高于对照组（P<0.05）;试验Ⅱ组肉牛料重比（F/G）也显著低于对照组（P<0.05）。对照组、试验Ⅰ组和试验Ⅱ组肉牛血液碱性磷酸酶含量显著高于试验Ⅲ组（P<0.05）,其余血液生化指标在各组间差异不显著（P>0.05）。肉牛血液碱性磷酸酶含量与平均日增重之间相关性极显著（P<0.01）。综合以上结果,添加3.0%谷氨酸渣替代日粮中部分豆粕可以促进肉牛采食,提高其平均日增重（提高22.62%）,降低料重比（降低10.85%）;日粮中适量添加谷氨酸渣（1.5%~3.0%）显著提高了肉牛血液中碱性磷酸酶活性,该酶活性的高低可能是衡量肉牛生长发育水平的重要指标。     

Colostral transfer of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase in calves

Serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in blood samples taken from normal calves which bad suckled colostrum were much higher than those found in healthy adult cattle. Levels of over 60 times the normal adult level were observed. These high levels of GGT took approximately 5 weeks to decline to adult values. Calves which appeared to have not received or absorbed colostrum had GGT levels which would be considered normal in adult cattle. A calf with serum gamma globulin levels which indicated an intermediate amount of colostrum absorption had a level of GGT which was intermediate between that expected for normal adult cattle and that found in calves which had more fully absorbed colostrum. The mean GGT level observed in colostrum from 6 newly-calved cows was over 800 times the mean serum GGT level of the same 6 cows. It therefore appears most likely that GGT is concurrently absorbed with colostrum by calves and this gives rise to the very high levels seen in normal calves. Calves with very high levels of serum GGT also had raised levels of alkaline phosphatase (AP) which slowly declined but never reached normal adult levels within the 53-day period of observation. It therefore appears that high levels of both GGT and AP are achieved by calves at the time of colostrum absorption and it is concluded that clinical interpretation of serum GGT and AP levels in young calves is closely dependent upon parallel knowledge of their serum gamma globulin levels.     

Long-term feeding of acetyl urea to dairy cows

After an introductory survey of investigations dealing with the conversion of acetyl urea in the ruminant organism, a feeding trial using dairy cattle is described in which the effects of long-term acetyl urea feeding on the clinical picture and various performance parameters have been studied. Five Black-Pied cows of medium milk yield were fed a natural diet and received, over at least 14 months, a daily acetyl urea supplementation of 430 g (= 40 to 44% of the digestible crude protein). The clinical control, including the analysis of blood parameters, did not produce any deviation from normal. As to milk and butterfat yields, the experimental group reached results comparable to those of the control group. Over the entire experimental period the experimental group and the control averaged per cow and day of milking 11.1 and 11.3 kg FCM, respectively. The reproductive behaviour proved normal for all the cows under study. Postmortem findings of 4 cows revealed, among other things, chronic kidney alterations that cannot be safely exluded to be caused by the experiments. A stress over several months of two cows fed 850 g acetyl urea per day was not found to affect animal performance and health.     

Genetically conditioned variability of metabolic profile parameters in dairy cows]

Individual heritability and differences in the concentration of the chemical components of the blood were studied in the dairy cows of the Slovak Spotted breed. The experiment was performed with 166 cows. The set comprised six groups of half-sisters from three stocks. The differences among the cows were statistically significant (alpha = 0.01) in the majority of the parameters studied: haematocrit, haemoglobin, pH, PO2, oxygen saturation of the blood; plasma potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, total protein, urea, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, and esterified fatty acids. The coefficients of repeatibility for the mentioned parameters ranged from 0.19 to 0.75. The heritability coefficients were calculated for the parameters in which the inter-group differences were significant: total protein (0.62), magnesium (0.57), potassium (0.51), urea (0.49), glucose (0.45), phosphorus (0.43), calcium (0.39), haematocrit (0.37), haemoglobin (0.35), pO2 (0.29). The results suggest that some of the parameters under study are under certain genetic control.     

Genetic x environment interactions on blood constituents of Angus, Brahman, and reciprocal-cross cows and calves grazing common bermudagrass or endophyte-infected tall fescue

Over a 2-yr period, effects of genotype and forage on blood metabolites, enzymes, and minerals were determined in Angus, Brahman, Angus x Brahman (sire x dam), and Brahman x Angus cows, and 129 calves from these cows sired by Hereford bulls. Cows and calves continuously grazed either common bermudagrass or endophyte-infected 'Kentucky-31' tall fescue pastures throughout the year. Blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture in April, August, October (weaning), and November (after 30 d in a feedlot) of each year. Plasma urea N concentrations of cows and calves were affected by forage (P < 0.01) and breed (P < 0.05). Plasma cholesterol and FFA concentrations of cows were affected by forage (P < 0.01) and breed (P < 0.05). In calves, antibody titers to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus were not affected by forage but were affected by breed. Serum inorganic P concentrations of calves and cows were affected by forage (P < 0.05). Serum P concentrations and alkaline phosphatase activity of calves were affected by breed (P < 0.05). Calves grazing bermudagrass had higher (P < 0.05) serum concentrations of Fe and total iron binding capacity (TIBC). There was evidence of maternal heterosis for concentrations of free fatty acids, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, Ca, Mg, alkaline phosphatase, ceruloplasmin, Fe, and TIBC. There was evidence of grandmaternal effects for plasma concentrations of urea N, cholesterol, Ca, P, Mg, and alkaline phosphatase. These results suggest that calves and cows grazing tall fescue are generally on a lower plane of nutrition than those grazing bermudagrass and that Brahman x Angus and Angus x Brahman crossbred cows and their calves seen to be more tolerant of the negative effects of tall fescue than the average of their purebred contemporaries.