Elevated Plasma Cortisol during Induced and Spontaneous Hypocalcemia in Ruminants

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Abstract
The relationship of cortisol in blood plasma with plasma Ca and P was studied from 3 days before to 2.5 days after calving in 12 dairy cows (.gtoreq. 3 parity). Cows were in 3 groups: paretic (displayed hypocalcemic and lateral recumbency), nonparetic (plasma Ca at least 8.0 mg/100 ml) and borderline (plasma Ca < 8.0 mg/100 ml). Cortisol concentrations from 0-1.5 days postpartum reflected the state of Ca stress of the groups, paretic more than borderline and borderline more than nonparetic. P was lower from 0 to 1 day postpartum in paretic cows. Ca and P were negatively correlated (within cow) with cortisol (-0.53, -0.37). In experiments with goats, cortisol was released in response to hypocalcemia and displayed no activity in initiating an onset of hypocalcemia when given exogenously. The observation that cortisol-treated goats responded less severely with Ca depression and recovered faster from induced hypocalcemia by ethylene glycol-bis(.beta.-aminoethylester)-N,N''-tetraacetic acid infusions suggests cortisol may aid the animal in recovering from hypocalcemia.

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