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Interrelationships among Plasma 17-Hydroxycorticosteroid Levels, Plasma Protein-Bound Iodine Levels, and Ketosis in Dairy Cattle¹

New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Sussex

ABSTRACT

Ten ketotic cows and ten normal cows, paired as to herd, breed, milk production level, time since parturition, and time of drawing and processing blood, were used in a study to relate adrenal-cortical and thyroid activity to the ketotic condition. Plasma level of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids was used as the index of adrenal-cortical activity, and thyroid activity was indicated by levels of plasma protein-bound iodine. Plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid values averaged 5.09 µg. % for the normal cows and 7.48 µg. % for the ketotic cows; whereas plasma protein-bound iodine values were 4.22 µg. % and 2.58 µg. %, respectively, for the normal and ketotic cows. In both instances, differences between mean values were highly significant statistically (P < 0.01). In another series of 11 ketotic cows (no paired control cows), the mean plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid values and the mean plasma protein-bound iodine values were 7.03 µg. %, and 2.65 µg. %, respectively. It will be noted that in the ketotic cows high 17-hydroxycorticosteroid values were associated with low protein-bound iodine values. This suggested that ketosis may be caused by a "relative" adrenal-cortical insufficiency induced by hypothyroidism.

¹ Paper of the Journal Series, New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Dairy Husbandry, New Brunswick. This work was supported in part by research grants from Swift and Co., Chicago, and Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories, Division of Merck & Co., Rahway, New Jersey.

² Present address: Schering Corporation, Bloomfield, New Jersey.

³ Practicing veterinarian, Sussex, New Jersey.