Metabolism of glycated proteins (glycated hemoglobin and serum fructosamine) in the cattle. 1. Investigations in dairy cows around calving

The metabolic profile test (Payne) characterises from the investigation of the blood of the 3-5% of animals, whether the nutrition of the whole herd i s sufficiant. In it the most important metabolic parameters are investigate d (proteins, macroelements, blood plasma glucose and some other basic blood parameters). The aim was to determine the possibility of addition of the g lycated protein parameters (glycated hemoglobin, Glib and serum/plasma fruc tosamine, SeFa) to the above mentioned ones. Blood samples of high yielding Holstein Friesian cows (n=32) were examined from two weeks before till six weeks after calving, in every two weeks (Tab le), Focusing on the parameters of the carbohydrate metabolism the basic va lues of Glib, SeFa, and blood plasma glucose and their changes in the criti cal state of the reproductional biology were described (Figure 1.), A close , significant retrospective correlation was found between GHb and the 4 wee ks earlier, and between SeFa and the two weeks earlier measured blood plasm a glucose concentration (r=0.95 and 0.97, respectively) (Figure 2.). Thus, beside of the actual blood glucose level which is determined from the blood sample on the same day, SeFa and GHb determined at the same time give abou t the carbohydrate metabolism and energy supply for the previous 2 weeks an d for the earlier 4 weeks, respectively a more accurate and more realistic information, than the concentration of the blood plasma glucose. (The latte r one changes after the neurohormonal changes at every time). So, the suita ble change of feeding regime can be done in time for the prevention of poss ible metabolic disorders (e.g, ketosis). It might be especially important i n the case of the highly valuable, high yielding dairy cows (and similarly in some other species) to think about the possibility of adding the glycate d parameters to the metabolic profile test.