Ketosis

monica

Ketosis can be observed by a clearly elevated milk fat % (5) during the first weeks of lactation. It results from a shortage of glucose in the blood. Just after calving he production rise is very intense, while the rise in dry matter intake is slower. A negative energy balance with increased fat metabolism may be the result. For each kilogram of milk be mobilized and the fatty acids are then transported to the liver to metabolized.
A certain part of the mobilized fat is however directly delivered in the udder of the cow resulting in higher gat percentages. Not all the mobilized fat is completely metabolized in the liver, they are then oxidized to ketone bodies and these ketone bodies are aksi excreted in the milk. Excessive prepartum conditioning can accentuate the problem because the excess gat will tend go depress appetite and will also lead to greater fat mobilization in early lactation and as a result higher fat percentages in milk. It occurs rarely 10 days to 6 weeks post partum. All cows do have certain form of ketosis when fat is mobilized but only 4-12% develops clinical symptoms. Animals rarely die from ketosis; rather the symptoms persist until a new equilibrium is reached at a reduced level of production.