Concentrations of intermediate metabolites in the blood and hepatic tissues of pregnant and non-pregnant ewes

Abstract

Summary: Six late pregnant and six non-pregnant Finnish Landrace × Dorset Horn ewes were fed a standard diet. Blood and liver samples were taken and the concentrations of the following metabolites measured: adenine monophosphate (AMP), adenine diphosphate (ADP), adenine triphosphate (ATP), citrate, 2-oxoglutarate, phosphoenol-pyruvate, pyruvate, lactate, 2·phosphoglycerate, 3·phosphoglycerate, malate, β·hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, glutamate, alanine, NAD⁺ and NADH. Comparing non-pregnant with pregnant ewes the liver of the pregnant animals had reduced concentrations of lactate, ADP, NAD⁺ and NADH, and in the blood there were reductions in lactate, pyruvate, lactate/pyruvate ratio and urea. The concentrations of the other metabolites of the pregnant ewes receiving adequate nutrition were little changed from those of the non-pregnant ewes. The significance of these findings is discussed.