Concentrations of carnitine and other biochemical parameters in blood serum of normal dairy cows and cows with abomasal displacement (dislocatio abomasi) and puerperal disorders

Abstract

It was the aim of this study to compare the concentrations of total (TC) and free L-carnitine (FC) in blood serum of different groups of lactating cows. The animals were allotted into three groups, a) control animals (N = 11), b) cows with abomasal displacement (AD) (N = 5) and c) cows with puerperal disorders (PD) (N = 5). TC and FC were measured with an radioenzymatic assay. Blood samples were collected from 5 to 0 d before parturition (a. p.) and from 0 to 28 d after parturition (p. p.). It was of interest to examine whether L-carnitine might be limiting under certain conditions of metabolic stress which are typical for high yielding lactating cows. Concentrations of TC and FC (mumoI/l) in control cows before and after parturition were 10,0* and 8,6* and 6,0-8,9 and 3,7-4,9, respectively. The corresponding TC and FC values for cows with AD were 19,6* and 8,9* and 10,5-20,7 and 4,8-6,9, respectively. Cows with PD showed TC and FC concentrations a. p. and p. p. of 15,7* and 9,2* and 10,3-13,0 and 4,8-6,3, h other puerperal disorders PD respectively (* only one value)