Because caffeine is metabolized by the hepatic P-450 cytochrome oxidase system, clearance of caffeine is an excellent quantitative test of hepatic function in human beings. It is currently used in much the same way that creatinine clearance is used to assess renal function. Caffeine clearance was measured in lactating dairy cows initially to determine the suitability of caffeine clearance as an indicator of hepatic function in cattle. Pharmacokinetic variables of caffeine were studied in 6 adult lactating dairy cows after IV administration of a single dose of caffeine sodium benzoate (2 mg of caffeine/kg of body weight). Caffeine concentration was analyzed by use of an automated enzyme immunoassay. The lower limit of detection of the assay for caffeine in serum was 0.079 micrograms/ml. Serum caffeine concentration-time curves best fit an open two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Harmonic mean elimination half-life was 3.8 (range, 2.6 to 6.9) hours, and total clearance was 0.118 (range, 0.090 to 0.197) L/kg/h. Milk caffeine concentration was similar to serum concentration 1.5 to 24 hours after caffeine administration. Adverse effects were not observed in cows given caffeine.

Collection of a satisfactory blood sample requires special procedures to prevent changes in glucose and lactate content after the sample has been obtained. Changes in measured plasma glucose and blood lactate concentrations attributable to anticoagulants and storage procedures, respectively, were examined in blood samples obtained from horses at rest and after exercise. To evaluate the effect of anticoagulants on measured plasma glucose concentration, blood was preserved with either sodium fluoride/potassium oxalate or lithium heparin. Measured plasma glucose concentration in blood obtained at rest and after exercise was 6 and 10% lower (P = 0.0038), respectively, when blood was preserved with fluoride/oxalate, compared with heparin. The erythrocyte volume in the blood sample was 15% smaller (P = 0.0001) in samples preserved with fluoride/oxalate, indicating a movement of water out of erythrocytes in the blood sample mixed with that anticoagulant. To evaluate the effect of storage procedure on measured blood lactate concentration, part of the blood sample was immediately deproteinized for blood lactate analysis, and the remaining blood was maintained for 30 and 60 minutes at either 0 or 22 C before deproteinization. When blood samples were maintained at 0 C prior to deproteinization, there was no difference in blood lactate concentration, regardless of the incubation time, compared with that in samples immediately deproteinized. Blood lactate concentration was greater (P < 0.01) in samples maintained at 22 C, compared with that in samples immediately deproteinized, and with that in equivalent samples maintained at 0 C. Blood preserved with fluoride/oxalate had lower measured plasma glucose concentration, compared with blood preserved with heparin, which was probably attributable to shrinkage of erythrocytes and dilution of the plasma with intracellular water. Minimal changes in blood lactate concentration were observed in samples maintained at 0 C up to 60 minutes.

An ELISA containing lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigen was used to detect antibodies in milk and serum for diagnosis of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis infection in dairy cattle. In experiment 1, milk and serum samples were obtained from 25 cows, and subjected to LAM ELISA testing immediately, and after 1 year of storage at -70 C. Milk samples, with and without a commonly used chemical preservative, were tested. There was no significant difference in LAM ELISA results between fresh and frozen samples or between preserved and unpreserved milk samples. In experiment 2, milk samples were collected daily from 30 cows over a 14-day period. The day-to-day coefficient of variation was 0.19 for milk LAM ELISA and was 0.15 for serum LAM ELISA, with no statistically significant time effect detected. In experiment 3, single milk, serum, and fecal samples were obtained from 764 cows. The fecal samples were cultured for M paratuberculosis to identify infected cows, and the serum and milk samples were subjected to LAM ELISA testing. Results were compared, using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. The milk LAM ELISA had specificity (+/- 95% confidence limits) of 87 +/- 8.1% when the cutoff was set at 50% sensitivity, and specificity of 83 +/- 9.1% when sensitivity was set at 60%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.85 +/- 0.03 for the milk ELISA and 0.75 +/- 0.02 for the serum ELISA. In this population of cattle, the milk LAM ELISA had comparable accuracy to serum LAM ELISA, although the milk LAM ELISA was slightly less reproducible (higher coefficient of variation).

Results of studies of the influence of two biological products produced on the basis of sapropel (putrid mud) of the Ganarata lake (Mostovski district, the Republic of Belarus) on quality of legume-grass silage were presented. It was established, that analyzed preparations could be used as the preserving agents for preparation of herbal forages. The preserving action of the preparations was caused by the intensification of lactic bacteria development in silaging mass for the account of humic acids, as well as by the fungicidal action of phenolic and carboxylic fractions of the preparation. Silage preparation in combinations with putrid mud preparations made it possible to lower the losses of a crude protein on 11,3-15,6%, sugar - on 33,3%, carotin - on 20% and to obtain forage with concentration of exchange energy 9,20-9,38 mJ per 1 kg of dry matter. Silage application in combination with biological products rendered positive impact on milking efficiency of cows, the average daily milk yields in the experimental cow groups were on 1,3-1,4 kg or 6,8-7,3% higher. Application of higher quality feeds made it possible to lower the expenses of forages on 0,04 fodder units. Research results proved that the analysed preparations from sapropel could be used as an efficient conservants for silage preparations. They made it possible to raise forage quality at the minimum expenses

The comparative analysis of application of cereal ensilage produced with addition of microbial and enzymatic preserving agents Axphast Gold and Biotrof on fodder digestibility, hematological indexes and cicatrical digestion of cattle rearers was realized in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. Cattle feeding with the analysed silage rendered positive effect on digestibility of the forage dry matter, which was on 2% higher the control index, organic matter - on 2,4%, nitrogen-free extractive substances - on 2,84%, fat - on 0,58%, protein - on 2,3%, cellulose - on 2,1%. Use in feeding of ensilaged forages from the cereal perennial grasses preserved by the microbial- enzymatic preparation produced by company Biota rendered the positive influence on use of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus. There was also noted the increasing of the content of volatile fatty acids in paunch of young cattle silage fed with Axphast Gold that testified of more effective utilization of forage

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there was studied the efficiency of application of forage chemical preservatives Kormoplyus-1, Kormoplyus-2, and Kormoplyus-3 for grass fodder conservation. The analyzed preservatives contained acetous acid, urotropine and sodium acetate (only in Kormoplus-2). In course of the study there were established experimental batches with the studied sreservative; there was determined a chemical composition of prepared forages; in physiological and scientifical and economic experiment there was analyzed the feeding efficiency of cereal ensilage. Research results showed that application of preservatives Kormoplyus-1 and Kormoplyus-2 2 for preparation of cereal ensilage made it possible to receive a high quality ensilage and to increase the dry matter safety on 4,2-8,7% and protein on 12-9,4% on comparison with storage without preservatives. Also, it made it possible to increase the digestibility of dry matter in cattle diets respectively on 5.5% and3.7%; organic substance - on 5.5% and 4.0%; fibre - on 16,5% and 15,0%, and also to increase nitrogen deposition on 17,4 and 20,8%. Feeding with forages preserved with Kormoplyus-1 and 2 did not render negative influence on a health state and biochemical indices of animal blood.