[Effect of the intravenous administration of a sorbitol solution on the blood plasma content of sorbitol, fructose, glucose, insulin and free fatty acids as well as on the sorbitol half-life in calves, young and adult cattle].

Average sorbite half-life values were 11.8 minutes in two fasting calves, 18.7 minutes in three calves after drinking, 16.4 minutes in five heads of young cattle, and 16.6 minutes in two heads of adult cattle, following intravenous injection of 0.5 g/kg live weight of sorbite solution. Sorbite conversion thus proved adequate and better than glucose conversion. Fructose levels in the blood plasma of fasting calves as well as of young and adult cattle underwent statistically significant rises, following sorbite infusion, the steepest rise being recorded from adult cattle. Significant glucose and insulin increases following sorbite infusion were recordable only from blood plasma of adult cattle. Concentrations of free fatty acids in blood plasma were quite irregular.