ADmINIsTRATION Of EARly POsT-PARTum ORAl DRENCh IN DAIRy COws: EffECT ON mETAbOlIC PROfIlE

AbsTRACT some prophylactic treatments have been proposed in high-yielding dairy cattle in order to minimize the effects of negative energy balance and some disturbances such as hypocalcaemia and ketosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two doses of drench within 24 h after calving on the metabolic profile and prevention of ketosis. a total of 48 cows from a herd in rio Grande do sul state (southern Brazil) was used in the study. The animals were randomly selected and treated orally with drench (n= 32, propylene glycol, electrolytes and choline in 40 L of water) and water (n= 16) used as control. Blood samples were collected by blood coccygeal venipuncture through a vacutainer plain system tubes. Biochemical determinations were performed in serum (albumin, urea, cholesterol, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids -neFa-, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, aspartate transaminase -asT-and gammaglutamyltransferase -GGT-) and a cow-side determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) was performed using the abbot blood Precision Xtra system. all cows in the experiment had their milk production controlled. The drench treatment produces a tendency to a better milk yield (32.5 vs 29.6 L/cow/day) and helps to prevent subclinical ketosis, as indicated by a lesser prevalence of subclinical ketosis (29.7% vs 37.2%) and mean values of BHB (1.19 vs 1.27 mmol/L) as well as a lesser lipolysis as indicated by neFa values (509 vs 1.560 µmol/L). The other components of the metabolic profile did not have substantial effects between treatments. in short, on the conditions of the present work, the drench treatment is an effective management tool for prevention of subclinical ketosis and severe lipolysis. Key-words: beta-hydroxybutyrate, ketosis, neFa, prevention

Timpanismo espumoso em bovinos leiteiros em pastagens de Trifolium spp. (Leg.Caesalpinoideae) Leguminous bloat in dairy cattle on Trifolium spp. pastures

O pastejo de plantas leguminosas que provocam fermentação excessiva pode causar surtos de timpanismo e mortes em ruminantes. Em uma propriedade no município de São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, oito bovinos de um total de 66 morreram subitamente, ao haverem sido transferidos de um potreiro de campo nativo, para outro cuja pastagem era composta por Trifolium repens e Trifolium pratense. Os animais foram encontrados mortos no amanhecer do dia seguinte à transferência, não foram observados sinais clínicos prévios. Os principais achados macroscópicos incluíram aumento de volume abdominal, protrusão de vagina e língua, distensão ruminal, fígado de coloração pálida e aumento do baço. Na histologia, havia congestão e edema pulmonares e hiperplasia linfóide difusa e acentuada no baço. A evidência de ingestão das leguminosas associada aos achados patológicos e à ausência de microrganismos no exame bacteriológico confirmaram o diagnóstico de timpanismo.<br>Leguminous bloat may occur in cattle which graze pastures consisting of lush forages. In a dairy farm located on the municipality of São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, eight out of 66 cows died suddenly after being transferred to a paddock whose pastures were composed of Trifolium repens and Trifolium pratense. Animals were found dead in the morning of the next day after being transferred; no clinical signs were noticed. Main gross findings included enhanced abdominal volume, protrusion and congestion of the tongue and vagina, ruminal distension, pale liver, and enhanced spleen. Histologically, there were lung congestion and edema, and splenic lymphoid hyperplasia. The evidence of leguminous forages consumption associated with the pathological findings and the absence of growth on bacteriology confirmed the diagnosis