A. Simasatitkul, A. Phongphaew, Therdchai Vearasilp, Udo ter Meulen:
Ketonuria in Holstein Friesian Milking Cows in Chiang Mai, Thailand

A. SIMASATITKUL¹, A. PHONGPHAEW¹, THERDCHAI VEARASILP¹, UDO TER MEULEN^2
1Chiang Mai University, Department of Animal Science, Thailand
²Georg-August University Göttingen, Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Germany

Ketonuria tests on Holstein Friesian milking cows were performed at a farm in Chiangmai, Thailand.

Test 1: 20 cows were tested for ketonuria at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 weeks postpartum. [45]% of the cows showed negative results and [78]% of these were low
milkers (cumulative 14-week milk production, <2000kg). Cows testing positive for ketonuria were more at week 2 and 4 than at week 6, 8, 10 and 12 postpartum (30, 30, 5, 10, 10 and [15]% respectively). There was no ketonuria detected at 14 weeks postpartum. Fifty percent of ketonuria cows at weeks 2 and 4 postpartum were high milkers (cumulative 14-week milk production, [3001-4000]kg). Variations in the number of ketonuria cows from week 2 to 14 postpartum among low, moderate (cumulative 14-week milk production, [2001-3000]kg) and high milkers were not significant ($\chi ^2$ = 7.57, p>0.05). There was no correlation between ketonuria cows and milk production (contingency coefficient: C = 0.78, p>0.05).

Test 2: 24 cows were tested monthly for ketonuria at 3 periods postpartum: 0-4, 5-8 and 9-12 weeks. [62.5]% of the cows were negative at all testing periods. There were more cows with ketonuria at 0-4 weeks than at 5-8 and 9-12 weeks postpartum (21, 17 and [17]% respectively). The correlation between ketonuria occurrence and milk production at 0-4 and 9-12 weeks sampling period were significant (p<0.05, r = 0.41 and 0.44 respectively) but not at 5-8 weeks postpartum (r = 0.39, p>0.05).

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Contact Address: Udo ter Meulen, Georg-August University Göttingen, Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany, e-mail: umeulengwdg.de