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The effect of subclinical ketosis on indices of insulin sensitivity and selected metabolic variables in transition dairy cattle

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Abstract

Up to now, there have been several endeavors describing the extent of insulin resistance (IR) in dairy cows with particular emphasis on transition period, but it is not fully explicit what IR plays in the etiology of subclinical ketosis (SCK) in transition cows. The present study was therefore conducted on a commercial dairy herd with a stock population of 730 Holstein-Friesian cows to evaluate the extent of IR in transition cows with SCK. Blood samples were collected initially from each of the transition cows (n = 24) to estimate serum levels of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA). Cows with no clinical signs but having serum BHBA >1.20 to 2.9 mmol/l were considered to have SCK (n = 20), while those having serum BHBA concentrations <1.00 mmol/l were considered as controls (n = 4). Blood samples were then used for estimating values of serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose, insulin, and cortisol. Different surrogate indices for insulin sensitivity were also calculated. Our findings demonstrated that values of BHBA, NEFA, and insulin were significantly higher in cows with SCK than those of controls (P < 0.05), while values of cortisol and glucose, despite being higher in diseased cows than controls, did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.605 and ​0.269). Indices of insulin sensitivity showed a significant decrease in revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI) (P = 0.047) and a significant increase in homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in diseased cows compared with controls (P = 0.007). The elevated values of serum glucose, insulin, cortisol, NEFA, and BHBA are therefore suggestive of impaired whole-body insulin sensitivity and were consistent with decreased RQUICKI in the diseased cows. Further studies are needed to use prophylactic feed additives to enhance insulin sensitivity and to help mitigate the deleterious consequences of bovine ketosis during the transition phase.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mohamed Mosbah, the farm veterinarian, for his kind support in collecting the samples.

Authors’ contributions

MAY and MRE designed and coordinated the study. MRE is responsible for data collection and analysis, besides writing and reviewing the manuscript, and is responsible for all correspondence with the journal. MSY is responsible for clinical examinations, participated in sample collection, and took part in the writing of the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt

    Mohamed A. Youssef & Maged R. El-Ashker

  2. Animal Health Research Institute-Mansoura Provincial Laboratory, Mansoura, Egypt

    Marwa S. Younis

Authors
  1. Mohamed A. Youssef
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  2. Maged R. El-Ashker
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  3. Marwa S. Younis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maged R. El-Ashker.

Ethics declarations

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. The farm owner was asked to sign a consent for agreeing to the proposed testing and was given a document that contains an information about the disease definitions, its economic impact, and the potential clinical consequences.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Youssef, M.A., El-Ashker, M.R. & Younis, M.S. The effect of subclinical ketosis on indices of insulin sensitivity and selected metabolic variables in transition dairy cattle. Comp Clin Pathol 26, 329–334 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-016-2377-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-016-2377-z

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