Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-4rdrl Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-15T19:12:48.922Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Biochemical and physiological responses to metabolic stimuli in Friesian calves of differing genetic merit for milk production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

P. A. Sinnett-Smith ,
J. Slee  and
J. A. Woolliams
P. A. Sinnett-Smith
Affiliation:
AFRC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
J. Slee
Affiliation:
AFRC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
J. A. Woolliams
Affiliation:
AFRC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
Get access

Abstract

Changes in blood metabolite and insulin concentrations in response to metabolic stimuli were evaluated as potential predictors of dairy merit. Calves of high or low genetic merit for milk production were subjected to the stress of: simulated feeds by injection of sodium propionate (0·5 mmol/kg body weight), a short fast and short-term cold exposure. Responses of insulin, free fatty acids, urea, glucose and D-β-hydroxybutyrate were determined by serial blood sampling.

Injections of sodium propionate did not greatly affect blood metabolite concentrations but did sharply increase insulin concentrations; no difference in response between high and low lines was observed. During fasting serum free fatty acid and D-β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations were greatly increased but no variation due to line was observed. Urea concentrations were also greatly increased during fasting and in this case animals of high dairy merit showed a considerably smaller increase than animals of low dairy merit. Heart rates decreased by one-third during the fast but no variation due to line was apparent;during refeeding high dairy-merit animals had lower heart rates than low-merit animals.

Short-term cold exposure did not significantly alter plasma insulin or metabolite concentrations.

These results are discussed in relation to previous findings and it is concluded that serum urea concentrations during a fast may provide the basis for a useful and robust predictor of dairy merit in young animals.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , February 1987 , pp. 11 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Broster, W. H., Broster, V. J. and Smith, T. 1969. Experiments on the nutrition of the dairy heifer. VIII. Effect on milk production of level of feeding at two stages of the lactation. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72: 229–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falconer, D. S. 1960. Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. Longman, London.Google Scholar
Hart, I. C, Bines, J. A., Baich, C. C. and Cowie, A. T. 1975. Hormone and metabolite differences between lactating beef and dairy cattle. Life Sciences 16: 1285–1292.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hart, I. C., Bines, J. A., Morant, S. V. and Ridley, J. L. 1978. Endocrine control of energy metabolism in the cow: comparison of the levels of hormones (prolactin, growth hormone, insulin and thyroxine) and metabolites in the plasma of high- and low-yielding cattle at various stages of lactation. Journal of Endocrinology 77: 333–345.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knox, D. P. and Jones. D. G. 1984a. Automated enzymatic determination of plasma free fatty acids by centrifugal analysis. Journal of Automatic Chemistry 6: 152–154.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knox, D. P. and Jones, D. G. 1984b. An automated micro-method for the enzymatic determination of D-β-OH butyrate in the ruminant plasma. Veterinary Research Communications 8: 103–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Land, R. B., Carr, W. R., Hart, I. C., Osmond, T. J., Thompson, R. and Tilakaratne, N. 1983. Physiological attributes as possible selection criteria for milk production. 3. Plasma hormone concentrations and metabolite and hormonal responses to changes in energy equilibrium. Animal Production 37: 165–178.Google Scholar
Nicholas, F. W. and Smith, C. 1983. Increased rates of genetic change in dairy cattle by embryo transfer and splitting. Animal Production 36: 341–353.Google Scholar
Osmond, T. J., Carr, W. R., Hinks, C. J. M., Land, R. B. and Hill, W. G. 1981. Physiological attributes as possible selection criteria for milk production. 2. Plasma insulin, tri-iodothyronine and thyroxine in bulls. Animal Production 32: 159–163.Google Scholar
Sejrsen, K., Larsen, F. and Andersen, B. B. 1984. Use of plasma hormone and metabolite levels to predict breeding value of young bulls for butterfat production. Animal Production 39: 335–344.Google Scholar
Slee, J. and Halliday, R. 1968. Some effects of cold exposure, nutrition and experimental handling on serum free fatty-acid levels in sheep. Animal Production 10: 67–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tllakaratne, N., Alliston, J. C, Carr, W. R., Land, R. B. and Osmond, T. J. 1980. Physiological attributes as possible selection criteria for milk production. 1. Study of metabolites in Friesian calves of high or low genetic merit. Animal Production 30: 327–340.Google Scholar
Webster, A. J. F. 1967. Continuous measurement of heart rate as an indicator of the energy expenditure of sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 21: 769–785.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webster, A. J. F., Chlumecky, J. and Young, B. A. 1970. Effects of cold environments on the energy exchanges of young beef cattle. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 50: 89–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar