Lipid and lipoprotein levels in dairy cows with fatty liver

The purpose of this investigation was to establish whether there were any differences in the lipid and lipoprotein levels of dairy cows with fatty liver. Fifty-four dairy cows with fatty liver and 12 healthy dairy cows were used in the study. The liver fat content was determined in all cows histologically. Cows with fatty liver (n = 54) were grouped according to liver fat content as cows with mild (n = 17), moderate (n = 17) or severe(n = 20) fatty liver. Fat infiltration in the liver was not observed in the healthy group of cows. Some serum chemical parameters including albumin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein levels were measured in all the cows. Very low-density lipoprotein levels were calculated by the following formula: triglyceride/5. There was a significant decrease (p = 0.000; p = 0.005; p = 0.011, respectively) in albumin, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels in cows with moderate and severe fatty liver, while triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein levels were significantly lower (p = 0.000) in all the fatty liver groups. High-density lipoprotein levels were significantly lower (p = 0.028) in cows with moderate fatty liver. There was a significant negative correlation between the degree of fat infiltration and other parameters except for high-density lipoproteins. In conclusion, notable changes in lipid and lipoprotein levels were determined in cows with moderate and severe fatty liver.