T. Geishauser et al., AN EVALUATION OF MILK KETONE TESTS FOR THE PREDICTION OF LEFT DISPLACED ABOMASUMIN DAIRY-COWS, Journal of dairy science, 80(12), 1997, pp. 3188-3192
Two commercial milk ketone tests (Ketocheck(TM); Great States, St. Jos
eph, MI and Ketolac(R) BHB; Hoechst, Unterschleissheim, Germany) were
used with milli; samples collected within 2; wk postpartum to evaluate
the use of these tests in the prediction of left displaced abomasum i
n dairy cows. Odds ratios, sensitivities, specificities, and likelihoo
d ratios were determined. For the study of Ketocheck(TM), 47 milk samp
les from 26 cows that were later diagnosed with left displaced abomasu
m were taken at a median of 6 d postpartum (12 d prior to diagnosis of
the, disease). For the study of Ketolac(R) BHB, 26 milk samples from
15 cows that were later diagnosed with left displaced abomasum were ta
ken at a median of 6 d postpartum (11 d prior to diagnosis of the dise
ase). Each cow that was subsequently diagnosed with left displaced abo
masum was matched with three control cows by herd and calving date. Po
sitive Ketocheck(TM) results and Ketolac(R) BHB results that indicated
greater than or equal to 100 or greater than or equal to 200 mu mol o
f beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA)/L of milk were significantly associated
with tile subsequent diagnosis of left displaced abomasum. The sensiti
vity of Ketocheck(TM) for the prediction of left displaced abomasum wa
s 22%; specificity was 96%. The sensitivity of Ketolac(R) BHB for the
prediction of left displaced abomasum was 46% when the results indicat
ed greater than or equal to 100 mu mol of BHBA/L and was 34% when the
results indicated greater than or equal to 200 mu mol of BHBA/L. Ketoc
heck(TM) and Ketolac(R) BHB might be used as tests for the prediction
of left displaced abomasum when used with milk sampled within 2 wk pos
tpartum. Hyperketolactia is a significant risk factor of left displace
d abomasum.