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Metabolism of the gravid uterus, foetus and utero-placenta at several stages of gestation in cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

L. P. Reynolds ,
C. L. Ferrell ,
Debra A. Robertson  and
S. P. Ford
L. P. Reynolds
Affiliation:
Roman L. Hruska U.S.Meat Animal Research Center, U.S.D.A., Clay Center, NE, 68933U.S.A.
C. L. Ferrell
Affiliation:
Roman L. Hruska U.S.Meat Animal Research Center, U.S.D.A., Clay Center, NE, 68933U.S.A.
Debra A. Robertson
Affiliation:
Roman L. Hruska U.S.Meat Animal Research Center, U.S.D.A., Clay Center, NE, 68933U.S.A.
S. P. Ford
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, I A, 50011U.S.A.
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Summary

To quantify changes in rates of metabolism and nutrient uptake of gravid uteiine, foetal and utero-placental tissues throughout gestation, mature Hereford cows received surgery at 132 ± 0·6 (n = 12), 176 ± 0·5 (n = 8), 220 ±0·4 (n = 11) and 245 ±1·5 (n = 7) days after mating. Indwelling catheters were implanted into a uterine artery and vein of all cows. Foetal catheters also were implanted into an umbilical vein and foetal femoral artery and vein (days 176 and 220) or into a placental artery and two placental veins (days 132 and 245). Approximately 5 days after surgery, deuterium oxide was infused into a foetal femoral venous or placental venous catheter during a 3 h period to quantify uterine and umbilical blood flows by steady-state diffusion methods. Oxygen, glucose, lactate and α-amino acid nitrogen concentrations were determined for uterine and foetal blood samples collected during this procedure.

Uterine blood flow increased 4·5-fold (2·92–13·181/min) and umbilical blood flow increased 21-fold (0·28–5·861–min) during the interval of gestation studied. The relative rate of increase of umbilical blood flow was about twice as great as that of uterine blood flow. Uterine arterial and umbilical venous concentrations as well as uterine arterial-venous and umbilical venous-arterial concentration differences in metabolites changed little with stage of gestation. However, because rates of blood flow increased, uptakes of O2, glucose and α-amino N by the gravid uterus and foetus increased as gestation advanced. The proportion of gravid uterine uptakes utilized by the foetus increased from day 137 to 226 for O2 (24–58%) and from day 137 to 180 for glucose (4–19%), then remained relatively constant. The proportion of gravid uterine α-amino N uptake utilized by the foetus remained relatively constant and averaged 60%. A net secretion of lactate from the utero-placenta to the uterine and foetal circulations was observed and increased as gestation advanced. These data indicate that increased rates of uptake or secretion of metabolites by tissues of the gravid uterus can be explained primarily by increased rates of uterine and umbilical blood flows.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 106 , Issue 3 , June 1986 , pp. 437 - 444
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

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