Serum lipid profile during lactation in buffalo

Abstract

Serum lipid profile was studied during gestation in 18 lactating Murrah buffaloes. The animals were grouped as early, mid and late lactation. The differences amongst 3 stages of lactation in all the lipid components studied were statistically highly significant. The serum total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids increased from early to mid stage of lactation and then decreased from mid to late stage of lactation, while LDL cholesterol increased with advancing stage of lactation. This increase may be related to the effect of estrogen on carbohydrate metabolism, which in turn causes increases in production of cholesterol in endocrine gland tissue from acetate and also due to demand of udder for fatty acid synthesis for milk fat. However, serum NEFA differed significantly with decreased level during mid lactation and this decrease from early to mid lactation is attributed to high energetic requirement during first stage of lactation that cannot be supported by dietary intake and thus buffalo must utilize body fat as source of energy. The correlation between serum lipid profile with milk fat per cent was nonsignificant with each other during all stages of lactation.