Validation of a Chemical Analysis Technique to Quantify β-hydroxybutyric Acid Concentration in Milk of Holstein Dairy Cows

Abstract

Hyperketonemia is characterized by an increased concentration of circulating ketone bodies during the postpartum period of cows. A high prevalence of hyperketonemia in herds is associated with decreased milk production, decreased probability of pregnancy at first service, and increased risk of peripartum diseases. The gold standard diagnostic test for hyperketonemia is β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) measurement in serum or plasma by a laboratory process. This technique requires money and time for sampling animals, which can be inconvenient for producers and veterinarians. Different cow-side tests have been developed to detect BHBA on blood or milk with variable accuracies. Skalar (Breda, Netherlands) designed a continuous flow analyzer (San++) that can be used to quantify BHBA in milk samples. The use of San++ may be a convenient way to determine the prevalence of hyperketonemia in a herd because the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) samples milk from most herds every month. Unfortunately, little data is available regarding the accuracy of San++. Thus, the objective of this field study was to determine the accuracy of San++ for diagnosing hyperketonemia.