Urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid levels in dairy cows during lead loading from feed rations under normal conditions of rearing in the Western Slovakia Region

The concentration of delta-amino levulinic acid (ALA) was determined in the urine of clinically healthy cows of 14 herds in the West-Slovakian region. The content of lead was determined at the same time in the components of feed rations. The ALA concentration values were converted to values per uniform specific weight of urine and per gram of secreted creatinine to match literary sources where the ALA concentration is given in these two quantities. The approximate intake of lead by the animal bodies in milligrams per head/day and per kg of live weight was calculated from lead content in feed rations. The average ALA concentration in the urine of dairy cows was 42.7 +/- 20.2 mu mol per 1 of urine (36.8 +/- 18.7 mu mol per g of creatinine), the average lead intake from feed being 0.157 mg per kg of live weight. The ALA concentrations in urine refer to animals given normal feeds with no lead contamination and as such can be considered as physiological values. Statistically significant correlations were recorded between ALA concentrations per litre of urine at the uniform specific weight of 1030 g per litre and the values converted per gram of secreted creatinine (r = 0.789). The upper biological tolerance limit of ALA concentration in urine (105.0 mu mol per litre) was determined by mathematico-statistical methods. Values above this limit could be indicative of an increased lead stress of the cows' bodies.     

The effect of extreme temperatures on hematologic and biochemical indicators in heifers

The study was aimed at finding the effect of low and high temperatures on some biochemical parameters in heifers. Thirty half-sister heifers were used as the experimental material. The animals were divided into two groups. The experimental group including 16 heifers was kept loose on deep litter in an open barn with no thermal insulation. The control heifers (n = 14) were kept in a thermally insulated house. Blood was collected at extreme temperatures: above 30 degrees C and below -5 degrees C. An insignificant decrease of haemoglobin and haematocrit was recorded in the blood collected at low and high temperatures from the heifers kept in the open barn; a reduction of cholesterolaemia and total lipaemia was recorded at high temperatures. High and low temperatures significantly increased the concentration of free amino acids; the differences between the experimental and control group being from 36 to 76 mumol per litre. The content of 3.5-cyclic adenosine monophosphate was increased insignificantly at extreme temperatures. Hyperglycaemia was recorded in the heifers at high temperatures and at the beginning of the winter season. At low temperatures the concentration of thyroxine was found to be increased in the blood of the experimental animals: 120 nmol per litre and 161 nmol per litre vs. 95 nmol and 116 nmol in the control group.     

Reflux of bile acids from the duodenum into the rumen of cows with a reduced intestinal passage

The purpose of this study was to find out whether the concentration of bile acids in the rumen of healthy cows differs from that of cows with a reduced gastrointestinal passage. The investigations were performed on 277 heifers and cows of the Swiss Braunvieh, Simmental and Swiss Holstein breeds. Forty of these had traumatic reticuloperitonitis, 30 had right or left abomasal displacement, 14 had an ileus of the duodenum, 36 had an ileus of the jejunum and 54 had a caecal dilatation. The other 103 animals had disorders which did not affect the digestive system and were used as controls. The mean (+/- se) bile acid concentration in the rumen fluid of the control animals was 1.0 +/- 0.30 mumol/litre. The bile acid concentrations in the rumen fluid of the cows with a duodenal or jejunal ileus were significantly higher than those of the other groups, demonstrating that bile acids may reflux from the duodenum into the rumen of cows with an ileus in the small intestine.     

Hematology of dairy cows with purulent-necrotic processes in the digital area treated with Subtilin ointment

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Subtilin ointment on the hematology of dairy cows when used to treat inflammation and necrotic tissue in the digital area. Holstein-Friesian cows were allocated to 2 groups of 10 animals each. The first group consisted of clinically healthy cows and the second group consisted of cows with a purulent-necrotic lesion in the digital area. To make a comparative analysis, blood samples of healthy and diseased cows were taken and tested before treatment with Subtilin ointment and 10 days after treatment. The blood of the diseased cows had more leukocytes (53.38%), lymphocytes (46.81%), erythrocytes (15.78%), granulocytes (64.56%), and platelets (34.76%), and a higher mean cell volume (of 8.37%) and increased level of monocytes/eosinophils (65.12%) than did the blood of clinically healthy cows. At the same time, there were no evident changes in the level of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, and percentage of lymphocytes in either clinically healthy or diseased cows. The hematology of diseased cows treated with Subtilin ointment demonstrated positive dynamics in the healing of ulcerative processes.     

N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity in urine of cows with renal parenchymal lesions

OBJECTIVE: To measure N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity in urine of cows with renal diseases and to correlate values for NAG activity with renal lesions. ANIMALS: 8 lactating Holstein cows and a Japanese Shorthorn cow, all of which had renal disease. PROCEDURE: Urine samples were collected, and urinary NAG activity and creatinine concentration were measured. The NAG activity was expressed as units per gram of creatinine (NAG index). Cows were euthanatized, necropsy was performed, and correlations between results for urinary NAG index and histopathologic findings for the kidneys were evaluated. RESULTS: The NAG activity and NAG index in urine samples obtained from cows with interstitial nephritis were high, ranging from 4.2 to 13.6 U/L and 3.5 to 23.0 U/g, respectively. A cow with renal amyloidosis also had high values for urinary NAG activity and NAG index. Histologic examination of the kidneys revealed various kinds of parenchymal lesions. However, urinary NAG index in cows with enzootic bovine leukosis was low. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cows with renal diseases had high urinary NAG indexes that correlated well with their renal lesions, except for cows with enzootic bovine leukosis. Therefore, measurement of NAG index in urine samples has the potential to provide new perspectives on clinical diagnosis of renal disease in cattle.     

Concentration of ammonia in the urine of dairy cows given green feed rations and winter feed rations

The concentration of ammonia in urine at a known level of energy yielding nutrients offered in feed rations was determined in 987 dairy cows in four summer feeding seasons and 1420 cows in three winter feeding seasons. The long-term average ammonia levels in urine showed no significant variation with the two types of feed rations. Different feed rations in the feeding seasons had no significant influence on ammonia concentration in the urine of lactating cows. On a long term-average as well as in the overwhelming majority of the winter and summer feeding seasons, high-pregnant cows had significantly higher ammonia contents in urine than the cows in the first and second lactation stage. At feeding rations complying with Czechoslovak Standard CSN 46 7070 the content of ammonia in the urine of lactating cows was lower than the recorded long-time averages and averages for individual stages; on the other hand, in high-pregnant cows the ammonia level was higher in both types of feed rations and the difference from lactating cows increased 3.25 times. This suggests that neither do the feed rations currently used in practice nor those strictly adhering to the Czechoslovak Standard meet the biological demand of high-pregnant cows and often lead to the injury of hepatal parenchyma. Ammonia concentration of 11.7 to 58.7 mmol per litre of urine is considered as a tolerable limit.     

Clinical availability of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase index in dogs with urinary diseases

Urinary excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) was examined in healthy dogs and dogs with urinary diseases, and its clinical usefulness as an indicator of urinary diseases was discussed. Twenty-eight healthy dogs and 20 dogs with urinary diseases were used. Urinary NAG activity was measured using p-nitrophenyl N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide as substrate, and expressed as units per gram of urinary creatinine (NAG index). Urinary NAG index in urine of healthy dogs was 3.2+/-2.4 U/g, and NAG index in the dogs with chronic renal failure or lower urinary tract infection accompanied by pyelonephritis was higher than that in healthy dogs. However, the dogs with lower urinary tract infection without pyelonephritis showed normal values of NAG index. Some dogs with diabetic mellitus showed elevated values of NAG index when control of blood sugar was not successful. Increase of NAG index was observed in some dogs with pyometra before increases of BUN and serum creatinine concentration. Therefore, NAG index in urine seems to be a good indicator for urinary diseases in dogs.     

Urinary Delta Amino Levulinic Acid (ALA) in the Cow, Dog and Cat

The level of delta amino levulinic acid (ALA) was determined in the urine of normal cows and dogs, and in the urine of dogs, cows and cats with a variety of diseases. ALA was measured in the urine of two steers and two dogs experimentally poisoned with lead. Experimental lead poisoning was followed by increased excretion of ALA in the urine. Higher levels of ALA were present in the urine of sick dogs and cats than in the urine of sick cows.     

Use of sodium acetate in feed rations in ketotic cows

On a farm where the ration of cows contained 88.0 g of butyric acid, an experimental group of cows (n = 8), producing milk containing 7.9 mg or more acetone per litre, was studied for 14 days for the effect of a 250 g supplement of sodium acetate to the ration (combined with single i.m. administration of vitamins A, D2 and E) on selected metabolism parameters and on milk production. As distinct from the control group of cows (n = 8) from the same farm which produced milk containing 3.9 mg or less acetone per litre and which were fed without sodium acetone supplements, a tendency of increased alkaemia of the organism was suggested in the experimental cows. This tendency manifested itself during the trial in increased pH values, increased base excess (BE) and standard bicarbonate (SB) in the blood, and in an increase in the pH value and net acido basic secretion in urine. A decrease was recorded in the concentration of the acetone + acetacetic acid sum, the same as beta-hydroxybutyric acid in blood and the sum of acetone and acetacetic acid in milk (P less than 0.01). An insignificant increase of the activity of gammaglutamyl transpeptidase (GMT) was recorded in the blood serum of the experimental cows and a significant increase occurred in the content of potassium (up to P less than 0.01) and urea (up to P less than 0.01) in urine. The supplement of sodium acetate to the feed ration did not influence the degree of ketonuria and the finding of urobilinogen in urine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Dynamics of clinico-biochemical indicators in cattle with ketonuria during the dry period and after parturition

The study was performed in eight high-pregnant cows in which medium to high ketonuria was repeatedly detected. The control group consisted of six cows free from ketonuria before parturition. Blood and urine were sampled from the cows two to eight weeks before parturition, on the day of parturition, 24 hours, three to five days and two to six weeks after parturition. The concentrations of oxidated ketone bodies and beta-hydroxybutyrate were determined by the distilling method. Further, the values of clinico-biochemical parameters in the urine and blood were determined within the range of the preventive diagnosis system. No marked changes in the health condition were found by the current clinical examination. The average concentration of total ketone bodies in the blood of the cows two to eight weeks before parturition was 29.2 mg per litre; the respective values recorded in the control cows were lower by about a half. The concentration of ketone bodies in the blood of the cows in the experimental group decreased on the day of parturition. The decrease was followed by a gradual rise of the total ketone bodies content in the blood up to 50.6 mg per litre two to six weeks after parturition. Alterations testifying to a disorder in the function of liver were observed in the cows of both groups throughout the period under study. The disorder was due to excessive administration of crude protein to the high-pregnant cows combined with the use of low-quality silage. After parturition the feed ration was not differentiated according to performance and was deficient in the basic nutrients and vitamins. Ketonuria was obviously due to the simultaneous intensification of hepatal and alimentary ketogenesis, caused by hepatopathy in combination with the intake of large amounts of poor-quality silage containing butyric acid.     

Clinicopathological findings and echocardiographic prediction of the localisation of bovine endocarditis

Thirty-six cows with confirmed vegetative endocarditis at postmortem examination were examined in this study. In 33 cows, echocardiography showed lesions of the pulmonic, tricuspid and mitral valves. Ten healthy cows were enrolled in the study as controls. In diseased cows, clinical signs included recurrent fever, dyspnoea, epistaxis, tachycardia, murmurs, weight loss, decreased milk production, jugular and mammary vein distension with palpable pulse, and ventral and submandibular oedema. Laboratory abnormalities included neutrophilic leukocytosis, elevated protein concentrations, hypoalbuminaemia, hypergammaglobulinaemia, azotaemia and elevated serum creatinine concentration. High serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase and lactate dehydrogenase were also detected. Echocardiography showed small, medium-sized or large hyperechogenicity, thickening, and proliferative or vegetative lesions of the tricuspid (n=11), mitral (n=5) and pulmonic valves (n=19). Confirmatory diagnosis was made at postmortem examination. Echocardiography could detect vegetations in 33 of the 36 cows (92 per cent). The sensitivity of ultrasound in detecting valvular endocarditis was 89 per cent for tricuspid valves, 83 per cent for mitral valves and 95 per cent for pulmonic valves.     

An epidemiological study of trichostrongylidiasis in dairy cattle grazing irrigated pastures

Trichostrongylid burdens in 1 to 2-year-old dairy heifers were estimated after they grazed with a dairy herd for up to 12 months. Ostertagia ostertagi, Trichostrongylus axei and Cooperia oncophora represented 79.5, 12.7 and 7.8% respectively of all trichostrongylids recovered. The largest burden was 97,000 trichostrongyles with less than 20,000 being the typical burden. Clinical disease was not observed. The strain of O. ostertagi present was capable of inhibition and was not necessarily controlled by anthelmintics. Availability of infective larvae increased with the onset of spring when "modified tracer" calves accumulated up to 30,000 trichostrongyles over intervals of one month. From July to September each year, up to 80% of the Ostertagia burden in these animals were inhibited larvae. Faecal strongyloid egg counts fell from less than an average of 60 eggs per gram to 10 eggs per gram when the heifers were one and 2 years old, respectively. Mature cows continually passed few eggs in their faeces.     

Determination of creatinine excretion and evaluation of spot urine sampling in Holstein cattle

Four experiments were carried out to determine urinary creatinine excretion in Holstein growing bulls, lactating cows, and replacement heifers. In addition, we evaluated the use of spot sampling technique to estimate purine derivatives (PD) excretion. In Experiment I, 15 lactating cows were used in a randomized block design to compare creatinine excretion obtained in different time-spans of urine collection (during 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 h). In Experiment II, four bulls were allocated in a 4 × 4 Latin square to evaluate the effect of diet (levels of cottonseed hulls of 0, 10, 20, and 30% of the DM) on excretion of creatinine. In Experiment III, 15 lactating cows were used to evaluate the effect of milk production (ranging from 3.9 to 36.7 kg/d) on daily creatinine and PD excretions. In Experiment IV, 22 replacement heifers were utilized to evaluate the effect of body weight (BW, ranging from 107 to 545 kg) on daily creatinine and PD excretions. For all experiments, total urine collections were made over 24 h and daily creatinine and PD excretions were determined. Different time-spans for total urine collection had no effect (P = 0.70) on creatinine excretion compared to the 24-h collection period, indicating a constant excretion rate of creatinine. The roughage source did not influence (P = 0.64) creatinine excretion by bulls, averaging 0.248 ± 0.008 mmol/kg BW. Similarly, milk production did not affect (P = 0.82) creatinine excretion in cows, averaging 0.212 ± 0.004 mmol/kg BW. In contrast, the creatinine excretion (mmol/kg BW) decreased linearly (P < 0.001) as BW of heifers increased, suggesting that creatinine excretion might vary with the degree of maturity of growing animals. There were no differences (P > 0.14) between the 24-h total collection and spot sampling technique in estimating daily PD excretion. The spot sampling technique may be used to estimate the daily excretion of urinary PD in Holstein cattle under practical conditions.     

Serum haptoglobin concentration in cattle

To obtain a basal concentration of serum Haptoglobin (Hp) in cattle in Taiwan, Hp concentrations were measured from serum samples collected from 10 healthy heifers, every week for one year. The values were also compared with those collected from 15 cows diagnosed with postpartum metritis. The heifers were successfully impregnated by artificial insemination six months after the tests. Hp concentrations were also measured in the serum collected from 11 other cows within 3 weeks after parturition. The Hp assay developed in this study gave a good correlation (r=0.893)with Western blotting. The Hp concentration of 454 serum samples from the 10 heifers had a mean value of 83.6 +/- 34.1 mg/l, and there was no significant difference among individual heifers. The basal value of Hp in heifers was calculated as less than 73.6 mg/l. No significant difference in Hp concentration was observed among the 10 heifers during cold and warm seasons (19.8 +/- 2.2 degrees C vs 27.3 +/- 1.4 degrees C), or before and after pregnancy. The mean serum Hp concentration from cows suffering from postpartum reproductive disorders was 1133.5 +/- 627.1 mg/l, which was significantly greater than the serum of healthy heifers and postpartum cows (104.6 +/- 61.0 mg/l) (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that Hp concentration may be a useful indicator for cows with postpartum reproductive disorders.     

A field study of culling and mortality in beef cows from western Canada

The objectives were to describe the pattern of losses through culling, sales of breeding stock, mortality, and disappearance, and to characterize the causes of mortality of cows and replacement heifers of breeding age from Western Canadian beef herds. Cows and replacement heifers from 203 herds were observed for a 1-year period starting June 1, 2001. Veterinarians examined dead animals on-farm using a standard postmortem protocol. The incidence of culling in cows and replacements heifers was 14.3 per 100 cow-years at risk, and the frequencies of sales for breeding stock, mortality, and cows reported missing per cow-years at risk were 4.0, 1.1, and 0.4, respectively. During the study, 355 animals died or were euthanized, 209 were examined postmortem, and the requested tissues were submitted for histopathologic examination from 184. A cause of death was determined for 70% (128/184) of the cows with complete gross postmortem and histopathologic examinations. Hardware disease (traumatic reticuloperitonitis), malignant neoplasia (cancer), calving-associated injury, rumen tympany (bloat), myopathy, and pneumonia accounted for 56% (72/128) of the animals where a cause of death was determined. Twenty-three other causes of death accounted for the remaining 44% (56/128). Factors relating to cow nutrition accounted for 25% of the deaths, emphasizing the importance of feeding management as a determinant of cow health in western Canada.     

Lead in the organs and tissues of slaughter cattle as a result of environmental pollution]

The normal values of lead in the organs and tissues of clinically healthy slaughter cattle were determined by the method of atomic absorption spectrophotometry and by the polarographic method. Animals of various age categories came from several farms of the East-Slovakian region. The lead found in the liver of young fattened cattle was not determined polarographically, since its concentration was under the threshold of sensitivity of the method (1.0 ppm). In the older category of animals (4-16 years old dairy cows) the following lead levels were revealed by the method of atomic absorption spectrophotometry: liver: (n = 76) 1.4 ppm, kidney cortex (n = 51) 1.5 ppm, bone tissue (n = 37) 3.3 ppm, muscle (n = 24) 1.0 ppm. The animals coming from different places had diverse amounts of lead in their tissues. The fact that the organs and tissues of slaughter cattle contained lead as a non-biogenic element is attributed mainly to environment pollution. The normal concentrations of lead, as determined in our study, can be used in chemical diagnosis of poisoning and in the evaluation of the hygienic safety of foodstuffs of animal origin.     

An experiment to measure the dose-response relationship of ovulation rate to FSH in cows selected with a history of twinning

Fifteen mature cows and 12 two-year-old heifers were superovulated with purified follicle stimulating hormone (FSH-P) to study the relationship between FSH-P dose level and response (measured as number of palpated corpora lutea (CL) and plasma progesterone concentration). The cattle came from a high prolificacy breeding herd for which cows were originally purchased after producing at least two sets of twins; the heifers were bred in the herd. At dose levels of 8, 16, 24 and 28 mg FSH-P in cows, averages respectively of 2.3, 3.5, 6.9 and 11.1 palpable CLs were found. There was an average difference in response of two CLs between heifers and cows (higher in heifers, though not significantly so). The relationship found between progesterone concentration and CL number could be a useful indicator of superovulation success in future experiments. The regression for cows was 1.25±0.11 ng/ml progesterone per unit increase in CL number, with a correlation of 0.92 between the two variables over the CL range 1 to 25. The corresponding value for heifers was 2.74±0.24 ng/ml per CL (correlation 0.94), or 2.50±0.40 ng/ml per CL (correlation 0.83) if one record (29 CL, 84 ng progesterone/ml) was excluded.     

An experiment to measure the dose-response relationship of ovulation rate to FSH in cows selected with a history of twinning

Fifteen mature cows and 12 two-year-old heifers were superovulated with purified follicle stimulating hormone (FSH-P) to study the relationship between FSH-P dose level and response (measured as number of palpated corpora lutea (CL) and plasma progesterone concentration). The cattle came from a high prolificacy breeding herd for which cows were originally purchased after producing at least two sets of twins; the heifers were bred in the herd. At dose levels of 8,16, 24 and 28 mg FSH-P in cows, averages respectively of 2.3, 3.5, 6.9 and 11.1 palpable CLs were found. There was an average difference in response of two CLs between heifers and cows (higher in heifers, though not significantly so). The relationship found between progesterone concentration and CL number could be a useful indicator of superovulation success in future experiments. The regression for cows was 1.25 +/- 0.11 ng/ml progesterone per unit increase in CL number, with a correlation of 0.92 between the two variables over the CL range 1 to 25. The corresponding value for heifers was 2.74 +/- 0.24 ng/ml per CL (correlation 0.94), or 2.50 +/- 0.40 ng/ml per CL (correlation 0.83) if one record (29 CL, 84 ng progesterone/ml) was excluded.     

Renal amyloidosis in cattle with inflammatory diseases

BACKGROUND: The association of inflammatory diseases such as traumatic reticuloperitonitis (TRP), mastitis, metritis, and pododermatitis with renal amyloidosis in cattle is poorly described. HYPOTHESIS: Serum amyloid A (SAA) levels are elevated during inflammatory diseases, and renal amyloidosis is formed as a complication. ANIMALS: This study was conducted with 82 crossbred cattle with mastitis (n = 18 cows), metritis (n = 11 cows), TRP (n = 30 cows), and pododermatitis (n = 23 : 15 cows and 8 beef cattle). Ten clinically healthy cows served as controls. Methods: Hematological, urinary, and blood parameters, including SAA, were measured by an automated procedure provided with trade kits. Determination of amyloidal structures was made by histopathological examination of renal biopsy specimens. RESULTS: At the end of this trial, amyloidosis was detected in 5 cows displaying typical nephrotic syndrome, with hypoproteinemia and proteinuria in combination with polyuria and weight loss. Furthermore, it was observed that cows with renal amyloidosis had significantly higher (P < .01) total leukocyte counts, serum and urine enzyme activities, and urea and creatinine concentrations, with lower serum total protein concentrations, when compared with animals without renal amyloidosis. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The incidence of AA amyloidosis in cattle in this study suggests that cattle with mastitis, metritis, and pododermatitis have a high prevalence of systemic amyloidosis in response to inflammation.     

Effects of anionic salts in a pre-partum dairy ration on calcium metabolism

The effects of anionic salts in the transition diet on serum and urine calcium at calving and on peripartal health, subsequent milk production and fertility performance were studied in a well-managed, high-producing Friesland dairy herd. Over a period of a year, approximately 21 days before the expected date of calving, 28 pre-partum heifers and 44 multiparous dry cows were randomly allocated within parity to 1 of 2 transition diets, designated control and experimental anionic diets. The anionic diet contained the same quantities of the basic transition ration fed to the control group as well as a standard anionic salt mixture containing 118 g NH4Cl, 36 g (NH4)2SO4 and 68 g MgSO4 (total 222 g) per animal per day. This reduced the DCAD to -11.68 mEq/100 g dietary dry matter compared to +13.57 for the control diet. Blood and urine were randomly sampled from 7 to 8 animals within each category within 3 hours post-partum. Serum calcium (total and ionised) and creatinine, urine calcium and creatinine and the fractional clearance of calcium were assessed. Relevant clinical, milk production, and fertility data were collected. The total serum calcium (2.07 versus 1.60 mmol/l), serum ionised calcium (1.12 vs 1.02 mmol/l), urine calcium (0.92 vs 0.10 mmol/l) and the fractional clearance of calcium (1.88 vs 0.09%) were significantly higher(P <0.01) at calving for multiparous cows fed the anionic diet compared to those fed the control diet. In the primiparous cows there were no significant differences in serum calcium levels. However, the urine calcium (1.07 vs 0.43 mmol/l) and the fractional clearance of calcium was higher (1.75 vs 0.45%) in cows fed the anionic diet (P <0.05 and 0.01 respectively). These results illustrated that there were benefits, although no differences were demonstrated with respect to health, milk production or fertility. The supplementation of diets with anionic salts in the last 2-3 weeks before calving has the potential to significantly improve parturient calcium homeostasis.