The relationship between post-parturient fatty liver and blood composition in dairy cows

SUMMARY The blood composition of 45 cows with more than 20% fat in the liver (moderate fatty liver) was compared with that of 83 cows with less than 20% fat in the liver (mild fatty liver). The cows were sampled at 1 week after calving and were from three Friesian and one Guernsey herds. Blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, bilirubin and aspartate amino-transferase were significantly elevated in cows with more than 20% in the liver whereas concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, albumin and magnesium were all significantly reduced. Blood samples from cows in two of the herds were analysed for ammonia, insulin and D(-)3-hydroxybutyrate. Cows with moderate fatty liver in these two herds had significantly lower insulin concentrations and higher D(-)3-hydroxybutyrate concentrations than those with mild fatty liver. Using an equation based on blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids, glucose and aspartate aminotransferase it was possible to assign correctly three out of four cows to either the mild or moderate fatty liver groups.