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Changes in free amino acid profile in goats with pregnancy toxemia

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Abstract

Pregnancy toxemia is a metabolic disorder that afflicts goats when the heightened energy requirements preceding parturition are not sufficiently satisfied. At present, the potential association between pregnancy toxemia and the free amino acid composition in hair goats remains uncharted territory. The purpose of this study is to investigate the free amino acid profile in goats during the pivotal three weeks preceding delivery, distinguishing among those with subclinical pregnancy toxemia (SPT), clinical pregnancy toxemia (CPT), and those in the control group (CG). Additionally, the study aims to investigate any potential relationship between the amino acid profile and beta hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA) levels. The researchers analyzed a total of 50 goats, comprising 20 goats with SPT, 20 with CPT, and 10 in the CG. The serum free amino acid profile was determined using a gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID) device. BHBA concentration in goats with CPT and SPT was significantly higher than KG (p < 0.001). Furthermore, in goats with CPT, the glucose concentration was significantly lower than in CG (p < 0.012). In goats with CPT and SPT, the concentration of valine, one of the gluconeogenic amino acids, was significantly higher than in control group (p < 0.001), while histidine concentration was significantly lower (p < 0.020) than in control group. Specifically in goats with CPT, the concentrations of alanine (p < 0.002), serine (p < 0.001), and threonine (p < 0.043) were significantly lower than in control group. Moreover, the concentration of phenylalanine, which is both a glycogenic and ketogenic amino acid, was significantly lower (p < 0.028) in goats with SPT compared to the control group. The Fisher ratio (p < 0.010) and Glycine/Alanine ratio (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in pregnancy toxemia goats with than in control group goats, indicating a poor nutritional and energy status of the goats during the prepartum period. In summation, the findings of this study underscore that amino acids exhibiting marked concentration variations hold considerable promise in the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic management of pregnancy toxemia.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Bingol University, Bingol, Türkiye

    Murat Uztimür

  2. Vocational School of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory and Veterinary Health, Bingöl University, Bingöl, Turkey

    Abdullah Gazioğlu

  3. Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Fırat University, Elazig, Türkiye

    Ökkeş Yilmaz

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  1. Murat Uztimür
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  2. Abdullah Gazioğlu
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  3. Ökkeş Yilmaz
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Contributions

Murat UZTİMÜR collected the material of the study, formed the hypothesis, wrote the article and statistically analyzed it. Abdullah GAZİOĞLU and Ökkeş YILMAZ conducted laboratory analysis of the study. In the final stage, all researchers in the study read and approved the article.

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Correspondence to Murat Uztimür.

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Uztimür, M., Gazioğlu, A. & Yilmaz, Ö. Changes in free amino acid profile in goats with pregnancy toxemia. Vet Res Commun 48, 839–847 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-023-10255-2

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