Pseudocholinesterase in dairy cattle

Abstract

Pseudocholinesterase activity was performed in 97 pure line and cross breed cows of the Red and White Holstein, Black and White Holstein and Jersey breeds, with ages ranging from 2 to 14 years. The electrometric determination of serum pseudocholinesterase was processed following the MICHEL technic (1949). A slight difference in pseudocholinesterase activity was found between the Holstein breeds and a more intense difference between these and the Jersey breed. Animals from 2 to 7 years of age showed higher delta pH/h average values than animals of the older group (8 to 14 years). The advance in age is marked by functional alterations, which are able to contrast more easily with the normal physiological behavior of younger organisms. Such fact allowed the admission of a metabolic interference, predominantly anabolic between the young animals and predominantly catabolic between the older ones. The final average were statistically analyzed by a Hierarchical Analysis of Variance.