The Effect of Starvation on the Uptake of the Precursors of Milk Fat by the Bovine Mammary Gland

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Abstract
The relative changes imposed by a 4-day starvation on the arteriovenous difference across the mammary gland, for triglyceride, free fatty acids, glucose, [beta]-hydroxybutyrate, and acetate have been studied in 3 lactating cows. The arterial concentration of free fatty acids increased up to 10-fold during starvation, but this was not associated with a corresponding increase in its arteriovenous difference across the mammary gland. There was a marked decrease in both the arterial concentration and the arteriovenous difference for acetate. These results indicated that the uptake of free fatty acids by the mammary gland of the cow is not a function of its arterial concentration while that of acetate is. There was little change in the uptake of triglyceride and [beta]-hydroxybutyrate during starvation. The arterial concentration of glucose was maintained at close to non-fasting levels during the 4-day fast and glucose was not readily utilized by the mammary gland.

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