CORTISOL SECRETION RATE, GLUCOSE ENTRY RATE AND THE MAMMARY UPTAKE OF CORTISOL AND GLUCOSE DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION IN DAIRY COWS

Abstract

SUMMARY Glucose entry rate was measured by primed infusion of [2-3H]glucose, and cortisol secretion rate by infusion of [1,2-3H2]cortisol, in two cows from 142 days before calving to day 287 of lactation. Mammary blood flow and the mammary uptake of glucose and cortisol were also measured. In late pregnancy, cortisol secretion rate was 8·6 ± 3·17 (s.d.) μg/min and plasma cortisol concentration was 1·8 ± 0·52 μg/l. During parturition in one animal the secretion rate was 92 μg/min and plasma cortisol concentration was 15 μg/l. During lactation the secretion rate (26·4 ± 7·14 μg/min) and plasma cortisol concentration (5·6 ± 0·73 μg/l) were significantly greater than in dry cows. The mammary uptake of cortisol was 3 to 4% of the secretion rate in both dry and lactating cows. Glucose entry rate was 5·77 ± 2·250 (s.d.) mg/min/kg0·75 in dry cows and there was no significant mammary uptake of glucose. During lactation the glucose entry increased to 9·45 ± 1·881 mg/min/kg0·75. Mammary uptake of glucose was 3·56 ± 1·949 mg/min/kg0·75. The non-mammary utilization of glucose, glucose entry less mammary uptake, was the same for dry and lactating cows. There was a good correlation between glucose entry and milk yield, and between mammary uptake of glucose and milk yield. Since the mammary arterio-venous glucose concentration difference was relatively constant, it is suggested that the change in mammary blood flow may determine the change in glucose uptake and milk yield.