Ukrainian Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Correction of the clinical and biochemical status of high-producing cows during the transition period

Andrii Oshurko, Serhii Holopura
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Abstract

The relevance of this study is determined by the increasing number of diagnosed metabolic diseases in high-yielding cows during the transition period, particularly ketosis, fatty liver disease and their complications, including liver cirrhosis, reproductive dysfunctions and subsequent early culling of cows. Timely measures for preventing metabolic diseases during the transition period are important, as they involve the use of corrective therapy to normalise metabolism and increase productivity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a complex preparation on the clinical and biochemical status of high-producing cows during the transition period. Two groups were formed for the experiment: a control group and an experimental group, with 10 cows in each. During the experiment, general methods of clinical examination of cows were used, including inspection, palpation, percussion and thermometry, as well as biochemical analysis of blood serum parameters, including spectrophotometry and chromatography. These methods made it possible to identify biological markers for assessing changes in the clinical condition and individual metabolic pathways in cows under the influence of the complex preparation. The use of the complex preparation based on biologically active substances led to an increase in blood serum levels of glucose by 25.6%, the total lipoprotein fraction by 55.7%, vitamin A by 35.9% and vitamin E by 2.1 times in cows of the experimental group. It also reduced aspartate aminotransferase activity by 51.3%, the De Ritis ratio by 62.3%, the level of non-esterified fatty acids by 2.16 times and beta‑hydroxybutyrate by 42.7%. Early identification of the causes of metabolic disorders and pathological changes in the liver of high-producing cows during the transition period, together with the timely preventive use of a complex preparation based on biologically active components, made it possible to prevent the development of secondary diseases, particularly fatty hepatodystrophy, and to reduce economic losses caused by lower milk yield and the culling of cows under the conditions of a specific farm

Keywords

liver; hepatodystrophy; general clinical condition of the organism; biochemical analysis; spectrophotometry; high-performance liquid chromatography; biologically active substances

Suggested citation
Oshurko, A., & Holopura, S. (2026). Correction of the clinical and biochemical status of high-producing cows during the transition period. Ukrainian Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 17(2), 75-91. https://doi.org/10.31548/veterinary2.2026.75
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