The haemato-metabolic profile of high producing dairy cows during the transition period

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to assess the haematological [haemoglobin, packed cell volume (PCV), total erythrocyte count (TEC), erythrocytic indices, total leucocyte count (TLC) and differential leucocyte count (DLC)] changes and metabolic adjustment, viz. blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and cholesterol, in high-yielding Sahiwal and Karan Fries cows during the transition period. For this purpose, blood samples were collected from 8 pregnant Karan Fries crossbred cows and 8 pregnant Sahiwal cows on days -15, -7, 0 (the day of calving), +7 and +15 from calving, and used for estimation of haemoglobin, PCV, TLC, TEC, erythrocytic indices and DLC, and metabolic parameters, such as blood glucose, BUN, NEFA and cholesterol. It was found that haemoglobin concentrations, PCV and TEC increased significantly (P<0.01) up to the day of calving, and gradually decreased thereafter to reach pre-partum levels in the subsequent weeks post-calving. While the TLC, number of neutrophils and monocytes were found to increase (P<0.01), the number of lymphocytes decreased significantly (P<0.01) on the day of calving and then reached pre-partum levels after calving. No significant effect was observed on erythrocytic indices parameters. Blood glucose, BUN and NEFA levels showed an increasing trend (P<0.01) from 2 weeks pre-partum until the day of calving, and then decreased to the pre-partum level after calving. Unlike the other parameters, the plasma cholesterol level increased consistently from 2 weeks pre-partum to 2 weeks post-partum. In conclusion, the results of our study clearly show a definite pattern of the haematological and metabolic adjustment of high-producing dairy cows during the pre-partum to postpartum transition.