Metabolic and hormonal aspects of bovine ketosis and pregnancy toxaemia in the ewe

Abstract

Metabolic fuels of the ruminant consist mainly of volatile fatty acids produced in the rumen by microbial digestion of dietary polysaccharides and amino acids derived from dietary protein. As almost no glucose is obtained directly from its food, any specific requirements for this sugar are met by synthesizing it from non-carbohydrate sources: principally propionate and the glucogenic amino acids.