The effects of fasting on some biochemical factors of liver, serum and clinical signs in cattle

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Fasting is an alternative method to induce<br />anorexia. OBJECTIVES: The biochemical factors of liver and<br />serum and clinical signs were measured and documented in five<br />non-lactating, non-pregnant cows following eight days of fasting.<br />METHODS:Five crossbred, non-lactating, and non-pregnant<br />cattle were used in this study. They were fasted for 8 days_ total<br />food deprivation; however, they had free access to water. Liver<br />biopsies were carried out one day before food deprivation (day<br />0) and 8 days after food deprivation by ultrasound-guided<br />biopsy. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein before<br />and during fasting. The concentrations of triglyceride (TG), total<br />lipids, glycogen, phospholipids, and total protein in liver and<br />NEFA, BHBA, TG, total cholesterol, glucose, total lipid, APO<br />A1, and APO B in blood serum were measured and compared.<br />RESULTS: The results of this study showed that fasting for 8 days<br />reduces respiratory rate by 52% and heart rate by 12.5% and has<br />no significant effect on rectal temperature. The concentrations of<br />the liver triglyceride (TG) and glycogen significantly increased<br />(p=0.046) and decreased (p=0.007) on day 8, respectively. There<br />were no significant differences in the content of liver<br />phospholipids (p=0.83), total lipids (p=0.29), and total protein<br />(p=0.23). The serum concentrations of NEFA and BHBA<br />increased significantly (p=0.008) at the end of fasting period. No<br />significant differences in the concentrations of serum TG<br />(p=0.057), total cholesterol (p=0.93), glucose (p=0.108), total<br />lipid (p=0.27), APO A1 (p=0.762), and APO B (p=0.92) were<br />noticed on days 0 and 8. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the<br />present study showed that fasting, like anorexia (as a result of<br />diseases), induces fat mobilization from adipose tissue in<br />response to the induced negative energy balance.