Increased fecal lactate and decreased volatile fatty acid (VFA), particularly n-butyrate concentrations in diarrheic young calves.
Using 24 diarrheic dairy calves under 8 weeks old, multiple fecal samples (4-12) were collected individually during the clinical advancing (max. 10 days) to evaluate the importance of fecal ammonia, lactate and volatile fatty acid (VFA) levels. Removing 3 calves not recovered during the sampling, 21 calves were grouped into under 3 weeks (< 3 wk; n=11) and 3-8 weeks old (3-8 wk; n=10). Data were divided into diarrheic and recovered feces with averaging in individuals. Diarrheic feces showed lower VFA and n-butyrate, and higher acetate proportions than recovered feces at <3 wk, but not at 3-8 wk. Diarrhea showed higher lactate, and lower ammonia and minor VFA (i-butyrate, valerate), which might reflect insufficiency in gut flora and fermentation.
Sato
Hiroshi
H
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rakuno Gakuen University, Bunkyodai, Ebetsu, Hokkaido, Japan. satoh@rakuno.ac.jp
D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002087:Butyrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis*
D002087:Butyrates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D000641:Ammonia