Abstract

GOMEZ OQUENDO, Jorge; LONDONO, Luis Fernando  and  MADRID PEREZ, Valentina. Metabolic profile as a tool to monitor health, production and fertility in Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid's dairy herd. Rev. Lasallista Investig. [online]. 2013, vol.10, n.1, pp.38-48. ISSN 1794-4449.

Introduction. The evaluation of metabolic profiles (MP) in cattle industries is a useful procedure to value and apply corrections when necessary and, simultaneously, is a tool for technicians or herd owners to monitor the health, and the reproduction. Objective. To find relationships between MP: cholesterol, hematocrit, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), milk urea nitrogen (MUN), proteins, urea, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), calcium and magnesium, with some production, health and reproduction parameters. Methodology. A study was performed on Politécnico Colombiano Jaime Isaza Cadavid's dairy herd, located in a low humid mountain forest. The metabolic parameters were evaluated throughout a year, by means of blood samples in 20 cows in peripartum, during the delivery and after it. Results. The main metabolic indicators to predict the production were cholesterol (p<0,042) and urea with (p<0,034), with statistically significant correlations. As for the herd's health, the MPs with a significant correlation were the calcemia and the hematocrit. The latter can also be a good indicator of the nutritional condition (related with the protein levels of the herd). Concerning the reproductive condition, (open days and conception services), the body condition and the calcemia had a statistically important relationship to predict metabolic mismatches. Conclusion. MP evaluation is recommended because it is an appropriate and easy to apply tool for technicians and producers in the monitoring, adjusting and control of production units, aiming to be successful in the production expected.

Keywords : production; dairy herds; metabolites.

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