SUBCLINICAL AND CLINICAL KETOSIS IN SHEEP – RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BODY CONDITION SCORES AND BLOOD β-HYDROXYBUTYRATE AND NON-ESTERIFIED FATTY ACIDS CONCENTRATIONS

The study included a total of 136 sheep from two breeds (Lacaune and Mouton Charollais) to establishchanges in the values of body condition score (BCS), β-hydroxybutyrate (ВНВА) and non-esterified fatty acids(NEFA) in their blood and their relationship in the development of subclinical (SCK) and clinical (CK) ketosis.The ewes were divided in three groups (pregnant, recently lambed and lactating). Blood concentrations ofВНВА and NEFA were assayed in all ewes. The body condition was scored. Blood ВНВА concentrations wereincreased in Lacaune sheep from the three groups affected by SCK vs control levels, as well as in animals withCK from all groups vs both controls and SCK. None of Mouton Charollais ewes had blood BHBA concentrations>0.8 mmol/l. The evaluation of BCS of ewes with SCK and CK showed a trend of decrease compared tothe control groups. The quantities of NEFA in sheep of the three groups with SCK were statistically significantlyelevated vs control groups, while in sheep with CK – decreased, vs both controls and SCK. In meat-typeMouton Charollais ewes, values of NEFA ranged around the reference.