Relationship between pre-partum body condition score changes, acute phase proteins and energy metabolism markers during the peripartum period in dairy cows

This study evaluated the relationship of pre-partum BCS variations on the acute phase response around parturition and milk production of dairy cows. The animals were divided into two groups: cows that gained BCS from the third to the first week pre-partum (GBC = n 11) and those that lost BCS (LBC = n 9) in the same period. Blood samples were collected pre and post-partum to determine serum concentrations of glucose (GLU), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin (INS), albumin (ALB), paraoxonase (PON), haptoglobin (HP) and blood cell counts. The GBC group showed higher PON concentration in the postpartum (p