Pathway analysis of plasma different metabolites for dairy cow ketosis

Metabolic profiling was performed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics to explore panoramic changes in ketosis metabolism in dairy cows, and to further understand changes in metabolites when ketosis occurred. According to clinical signs and plasma levels, 81 multiparous Holstein cows from a dairy farm were divided into clinical ketosis, subclinical ketosis and healthy control groups during 7–21 d after calving. Different metabolites were identified by NMR and combined with multivariate statistical analysis to determine the pathway. There were 29 metabolites obtained, including three carbohydrates, six lipids, 14 amino acids and six other metabolites. Consulting a database and the metabolite analysis showed that these metabolites were mainly related to amino acid, fat and carbohydrate metabolisms. The results indicated that metabolomics revealed changes in the occurrence and development of dairy cow ketosis, and also that the different metabolites could be potential markers and indicators to diagnose ketosis