Nicotinic Acid Treatment of Bovine Ketosis I. Effects on Circulatory Metabolites and Interrelationships

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Abstract
Blood metabolite changes were meas- ured in six subclinically and seven clini- cally ketotic cows following treatment with four 40-g doses of nicotinic acid given orally at 2-hr intervals. Subclinical ketosis was characterized by hyperketon- emia, elevated nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) and acetate, and depressed tri- glycerides, cholesterols, and phospho- lipids. Clinically ketotie cows displayed hypolactia, hypophagia, hypoglycemia, hyperketonemia, elevated NEFA and acetate, and depression of other lipids. Glucose and triglyceride utilization by the mammary gland was not apparently impaired during ketosis, although marked NEFA uptake may have had a sparing action on triglyceride fatty acids. Appe- tite returned within 18 hr after treat- ment. At 48 hr after treatment, NEFA and ketone bodies were further elevated and appetite was again depressed. Blood metabolites and appetite began to re- turn to normal immediately after the re- bound phase. Glucose had returned to normal by Day 7, while ketone body con- centrations were normal by Day 14. By Day 21, all blood metabolites were with- in accepted ranges.
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