Metabolic Response to Heat Stress in Late-Pregnant and Early Lactation Dairy Cows: Implications to Liver-Muscle Crosstalk
Fig 8
The effects of heat stress or pair-feeding on plasma insulin, glucagon and lactate.
(A) plasma insulin in [μU/ml], (B) plasma glucagon [ng/l], (C) ratio insulin/glucagon, (D) plasma lactate [mmol/l]. In experimental period (P1) all animals were kept under thermoneutral conditions (THI = 60) with ad libitum feeding for six days. During period 2 (P2), HS cows (red) were heat-stressed (THI = 76), whereas PF cows (blue) were pair-fed in thermoneutrality (THI = 60) for six days in ante partum (ap, dashed lines) and again in post partum (pp, solid lines). The mean of the last days of P1 was calculated. Data are from HSap n = 6, PFap n = 6, HSpp n = 4, PFpp n = 6 and are presented as mean ± SEM. *** P<0.001, **P<0.01, *P<0.05 for group effects; § P<0.05 for time effects; ++ P<0.01 and + P<0.05 for HS vs. PF comparisons in the ap period (Tukey-Kramer test).