EMILIAN SHABANI, AVNI ROBAJ, EGLANTINA XHEMOLLARI, KASTRIOT BELEGU; ROMEO BOÇI
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University, Tirana, Albania.
Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Prishtina, Kosovo.
PAZA project, Tirana, Albania.
Corresponding author email: avni.robaj@uni_pr.edu
Abstract
Cows are always regarded as an essential source of animal products (meat, milk, leather, bones) and as natural land fertilizers. One of the permanent tasks of mankind has been and remains the improvement of the productive and reproductive performance of dairy cows. This exaggerated obsession is related to increased demand for products and by-products originating from cows. Such levels requirements tend to exceed all genetic capabilities of animals and constitute the major ubiquitous cause of metabolic problems [31]. The liver is an organ of great importance in the body. It actively participates in the synthesis of glucose, in plasma protein formation, in formation and excretion of bile salts, in pigment excretion, in the formation of prothrombin, in detoxification and excretion of many substances including photodynamic agents. Ruminants liver has a remarkable functional reserve. Clinical manifestations of liver diseases becomes apparent only if 70% of parenchyma is totally in functional inactivity. Using imaging methods especially ultrasound for diagnosing of hepatic diseases in cattle is indicated because other diagnostic methods including the determination of hepatospecific enzymes, in most cases are insufficient [31]. Hepatic ultrasound examination is rewarding because it defines the hepar size, position, shape, condition, dimension of vessels and different types of hepatic disorders [31]. Hepatic lipidosis is the most important metabolic disorder of dairy cows during early lactation and is responsible for ill-health and poor reproductive performance of the animals. Efficient application of diagnostic and preventive strategies for this syndrome has great economic importance. Transitional period between late pregnancy and early lactation is a situation where creates an excessive drainage of different nutrients. Hepatic lipidosis is a condition that usually develops in the period near of calving and in early lactation [20]. Hepatic lipidosis develops when hepatic lipid intake exceeds the level of oxidation and exretion of lipds from liver. This condition is characterized by high concentration of free fatty acids metabolized by adipose tissue. Lipid excess is deposited as triglycerol who is primarily responsible for reducing the liver’s metabolic functions. Liver can be categorized as normal or average, moderate or severe hepatic lipidosis, encephalopatic lipidosis, and hepatic incefalopatia [3] and [6] and [17]. Syndrome of hepatic lipidosis affects almost half of herd immediately after calving. The amount of fat accumulated in liver in the first 10 days after calving ranges from 60 to 120 grams per day. Lipids accumulated in liver occupy 12 to 25% of liver wet weight. In some cases, hepatic lipidosis followed by severe inflammation resulting in patient’s death. If patients who suffer from this syndrome are not treated, mortality captures the values 25% [3].
