[Blood indices of high-production cows at various periods of pregnancy and after calving].

Investigations were carried out to evaluate the contents of glucose, total protein, total lipids and lipid fractions, calcium, inorganic phosphorus, magnesium, carotene, and vitamin A in the blood of a total of 26 high-producing cows at various stages of pregnancy (5, 6, 7, and 9 months) and up to the 1-2nd, 3rd, and 4-5th month after calving. It was found that in the last month of pregnancy glucose dropped by more than 20 per cent, and the lipids--by more than twice as compared with the earlier periods of pregnancy. During the same period the total protein in the blood serum rose by more than 15 per cent, inorganic phosphorus--by 22 per cent, and magnesium--by 30 per cent. In the first two months after calving the content of glucose dropped by 65 per cent, of lipids--twice, of carotene--up to three times, and of vitamin A by more than 50 per cent as compared with the later periods after calving. The considerable changes in the various contents of the blood in the last month of pregnancy and the first months after calving was explained by the activation of the metabolic processes in the body of high-producing cows corresponding to their physiologic state--advanced pregnancy, and after calring--in the period of intense lactation.