Resumen de Cetosis en vacas de leche durante el post-parto y su efecto sobre los niveles de grasa y proteína durante la lactación

Ramiro Fouz, C. Viña, José E. Yus, M.L. Sanjuán, F.J. Diéguez Rascón

• The aim of this study was to determine and quantify the influence of B-hydroxybutyrate levels (as measured in milk samples after calving by infra-red spectrophotometry) on the fat and protein percentages in the milk yield in the first two months of lactation. By means of logistic regression it was observed that the percentage of fat in the first month of lactation increased as the ȕ-hydroxybutyrate level increased. No differences were observed neither for fat in the second month or for protein in the first two months. Since milk fat was higher during the first part of the lactation period due to the rapid mobilization of fat post-parturition, the fat:protein ratio could be used as an indicator of subclinical ketosis in fresh cows. Further studies would be needed to determine the cut-off points and the accuracy of this ratio as a predictor of bovine ketosis.