COMPARACIÓN DE PERFIL LIPÍDICO POR SEXO Y EDAD EN BOVINOS.

Objective: to compare the lipid profile by gender and age in cattle at different stages of development. Materials and Methods: blood samples from 192 crossbred cattle from some areas of the municipalities of Caldas and Risaralda were taken, in the fasting state, differentiated by gender and age (49 males and 49 females aged under 18 months and 44 males and 50 females over 24 months). Levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides,and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were measured using enzymaticcolorimetric method; levels of very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined using the Friedewald equation. Results: by age, in the group of adult animals, there exists significant difference for LDL-C levels, being higher in females; in the young animals group there is significant difference in HDL-C levels, which is also higher in females; by gender, both sexes have a significant difference in total cholesterol levels, being adult females the ones reporting higher levels; among males the HDL-C is significantly higher in adults and among females the LDL-C values in adults are significantly elevated, confirming the results obtained in the group of adult animals. Triglycerides and VLDL values showed no statistically significant differences in either group since the p-value was always >0.05 analyzed with a confidence level of 95%. Conclusion: given the differences in the group comparisons between groups for the bovines lipid profile, four lipid profile groups can be considered as follows: adult males, adult females, young males and young females, being adult animals the ones having higher levels of TC and LDL-C for females and of HDL-C for males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]