Acetate Kinetics in Normal and Ketotic Cows

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Abstract
A solution containing acetate-1-Cl4 was infused for 4 hr. into 2 cows during spontaneous ketosis, then later when each was normal. A series of blood samples were taken, and radiochemical analyses were performed for plasma acetate and glucose, and blood CO2. The acetate entry rates were 1900 and 3500 g/day during ketosis, 3100 and 4300 g/day normal, respectively. The fraction of plasma glucose-carbon derived from plasma acetate-carbon was 6% in all 4 experiments. The fraction of blood CO2-carbon derived from plasma acetate-carbon was 33% in 3 experiments and 64% in one normal. The entry rates in the normal cows are about 25-30% higher than previous estimates of ruminal production rates of acetate; this agrees with a previous estimate of endogenous acetate production in fed sheep. The lower entry rates during ketosis probably reflect lower ruminal production rates, for these 2 cows had exhibited inappetance for several days.