Prognostic value of plasma L-lactate concentration measured cow-side with a portable clinical analyzer in Holstein dairy cattle with abomasal disorders.
BACKGROUND
L-Lactate has been used as a prognostic indicator for ill humans and animals. A portable analyzer that measures L-lactate could help veterinarians decide to proceed with correction of a displaced abomasum.


OBJECTIVE
The likelihood of a dairy cow with a displaced abomasum remaining in the herd can be predicted by lactate concentration and other variables.


METHODS
Thirty-four healthy early-lactation dairy cows, and 131 cows with abomasal displacements (DA) presented to Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.


METHODS
Plasma L-lactate was measured using a commercial analyzer (i-STAT). A cow had a positive outcome (PO) if she remained in the herd 30 days after surgical correction of the displaced abomasum and a negative outcome (NO) if she was culled or died in that time. A multivariable model with physical examination and clinicopathologic variables for predicting NO for cows with right-sided abomasal displacements was constructed.


RESULTS
The median plasma L-lactate was 0.54 mM/L (interquartile range, 0.42-0.74) in healthy lactating Holstein cows. In cows with right-sided displaced abomasa, median plasma L-lactate concentrations were higher in cows with NO (5.88 mM/L) versus PO (3.23 mM/L) (P = .002). In a multivariable model, which identified chloride, heart rate, and L-lactate as the best fitting variables for cows with right-sided displacements, the probability of NO increased as L-lactate increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma L-lactate concentration might be a useful predictor of productive outcomes in cows with right-sided abomasal disorders.
Figueiredo
Monica D
MD
Department of Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Nydam
Daryl V
DV
Perkins
Gillian A
GA
Mitchell
Hilda M
HM
Divers
Thomas J
TJ
D000018:Abomasum; D000818:Animals; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007773:Lactates