Concentration of some blood metabolites in untrained and trained cows

[Extract] A reduction in work capacity of a draft animal can be critical to its ability to perform the work it is required to do; particularly if the animal is of small body size. Under normal work condidtions, an untrained buffalo can sustain a draft load equivalent to only 8% of its live weight. this value can be increased to 11% if the animal were trained for 15 days (see Martin and Teleni 1989). The lower work capacity of the untrained animal is due largely to the pattern of utilisation of ATP-yielding substrates which results in increased lactic acid production in working muscles (Martin and teleni 1989)