OBJECTIVE To investigate effects of metoclopramide orally administered to healthy bitches on serum prolactin and milk lactose concentrations, gross energy, and dry matter content and on puppy weight gain during early lactation. ANIMALS 20 client-owned bitches and their 121 puppies. PROCEDURES 10 bitches received metoclopramide (0.2 mg/kg, PO, q 6 h for 6 days; treatment group) starting 10 to 24 hours after birth of the last puppy of the litter (day 0), and 10 bitches served as the control group. Blood and milk samples from all bitches were collected on days 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6. Milk samples for days 1 and 2 and days 4 and 6 were pooled because of small volume. Puppies were weighed twice daily. RESULTS Serum prolactin concentration increased significantly over time in both groups, and no treatment effect was detected. When day-to-day changes were analyzed, the prolactin concentration increased from day 0 to day 1 in the treatment group but not in the control group. Milk lactose concentration increased significantly and was higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Milk dry matter content was unchanged, whereas the time course for milk gross energy content differed significantly between treatment and control bitches. Puppy weight gain was not affected by metoclopramide treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Oral administration of metoclopramide to healthy bitches after parturition induced a transient increase in serum prolactin concentration and stimulated milk lactose production. It is likely bitches with insufficient or delayed milk production could benefit from metoclopramide treatment.

The role of interleukin 1 (IL-1) as an inflammatory mediator during mastitis and the therapeutic effect of recombinant human IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) for bovine mastitis was studied. Cows were intramammarily infused with lipopolysaccharide (25 g) in 1 mammary gland. Half the cows also received infusions of 5 mg of IL-1ra into the same mammary gland just prior to endotoxin infusion and 4, 8, and 12 hours later. After endotoxin infusion, tumor necrosis factor and high IL-1 bioactivity were detected in whey from infused glands. Vascular permeability changes and neutrophil accumulation in milk paralleled the appearance of cytokines. A systemic reaction, characterized by pyrexia and an increase in blood cortisol concentration, also were observed. Milk yield was inhibited and milk composition was altered in infused and noninfused glands. The increase in IL-1 bioactivity in milk after endotoxin infusion was almost completely prevented in glands receiving IL-1ra. However, IL-1ra had no effect on local inflammation, systemic reaction, or impairment in productive performance. These results indicate that IL-1 does not mediate its effect within the milk compartment, and suggest either that IL-1 is not critical to the mastitic response or that intramammary infusion of IL-1ra does not place the antagonist where IL-1 interacts with its receptor.

The objectives were to determine the effects of feeding supplements rich in omega-6 or omega-3 fatty acids (FA) during the late gestation to the early postpartum and breeding periods on reproduction and milk FA profile in beef cows. For each of two years, at the beginning of period 1 (mid-December), 72 beef cows, calving in January or February, were assigned to diets supplemented with roasted flaxseed (Flax) or roasted soybean (Soybean). For each of two years, after 11 wk (end of period 1), 18 cows of 36 in the Flax group were switched to the soybean supplement and 18 cows of 36 in the Soybean group were switched to the flax supplement (start of Period 2). Cows were bred by timed artificial insemination (TAI) in week 5 of period 2. The FA composition of the milk reflected the FA profile of the oilseed supplements. There were no differences in pregnancy rates among the 4 groups. The treatments had no effect on plasma prostaglandin metabolite levels or ratios at 4 to 11 d postpartum. At 5 to 6 d post- TAI, pregnant cows fed Flax in period 1 had lower (P < 0.05) plasma prostaglandin F metabolite (PGFM) levels and PGFM to prostaglandin E metabolite (PGEM) ratio than cows fed Soybean, but there were no significant differences at 19 to 20 d post-TAI. Cows pregnant from TAI and fed Flax in period 2 had higher (P < 0.05) serum progesterone levels at 5 to 6 d post-TAI than cows fed Soybean, but there was no difference at 19 to 20 d post-TAI. The dietary treatments had no effect on pregnancy rates, but there were some effects on plasma PGFM levels, PGFM to PGEM ratios, and serum progesterone levels. The FA supplements influenced the FA composition of milk.

Metabolic and production responses are reported for 72 cows treated with bovine somatotropin (BST) for 30 days starting at day 70 of lactation. Of these 72 cows, 48 had been exposed in the preceding lactation to long-term treatment with BST at 3 dosages and 24 (controls) had not been given BST. Approximately half of the cows in each group were parity-2 cows, the rest were older. Comparisons between groups were made separately for parity-2, and older cows. Analyses, using pretreatment values of each variable as a covariate, indicated that older cows, but not parity-2 cows, significantly (P < 0.05) increased milk production during treatment. Parity-2 cows, however, had a significantly higher milk fat percentage than controls following treatment. Cows treated with 51.6 or 86 mg BST/d in both parity groups has significantly higher serum-free fatty acids than controls. Estimated net energy balances were significantly lower for older treated cows, but did not significantly differ from controls from for parity-2 treated cows. Older cows in the 86 mg of BST/d group tended to have higher concentrations of blood glucose than did older control-group cows. Treatment with BST did not significantly increase serum ketone concentrations in any group of animals, and none of the cows developed clinical ketosis during this period. Estimated net energy balance (ENEB) during treatment was a significant (P < 0.05) covariate for free fatty acid concentrations in older cows and for milk fat percentage in parity-2 cows. Covariate adjusted analyses, using ENEB during treatment as a covariate, indicated that lipolytic stimuli already acting may be enhanced by treatment with BST, but a negative energy balance was not a necessary precondition for free fatty acid concentrations to increase following somatotropin treatment. Similarly, milk fat percentages for parity-2 treated cows were significantly (P < 0.05) higher during treatment than controls when ENEB during treatment was used as a covariate. Increased milk fat concentrations in parity-2 treated cows were not associated with significant increases in the ratio of C(18):C(4-10) milk fatty acids, indicating that increased milk fat resulted from either an increase in incorporation of C(18) fatty acids into milk fat coupled with an increase in de novo mammary synthesis of C(4-10) milk fatty acids or an increase in C(12-16) fatty acids that may arise either from increased tissue mobilization, from diet, or from de novo mammary synthesis.

A comparison of milk yield and composition of various indigenous and crossbred cattle was undertaken to evaluate their performance in the subtropical high altitudes of Kerala. A total of 173, 95, 63 and 63 morning milk samples from 42 CBHF, 12 Vechur, six Sahiwaland six Kankrej cows of early second lactation were analyzed for total solids, fat, solids-not-fat, lactose, protein and chloride by conventional  methods. Least squares analysis revealed that breed and test-day climate significantly influenced the milk yield and composition (P &gt;0.05). The mean lactation yield in Vechur, Sahiwal, Kankrej and CBHF were 514.62 ± 42.87 Kg, 1025.65 ± 358.15 Kg, 1102.45 ± 358.15 Kg and 1763.93 ± 128.16 Kg respectively. Kankrej had higher fat and total solids while Vechur had higher SNF, protein and lactose (P &gt;0.05). Vechur had lesser seasonal fluctuations in major constituents, indicating it’s adaptability and climatic resilience as the native breed of Kerala.