Test for estimation of bovine hepatic lipid content.

The lipid content of bovine liver was found to be highly correlated with its specific gravity. This observation was used as the basis for a clinical test to estimate the liver lipid content in dairy cows. The test consisted of submerging needle biopsy specimens of liver into water and copper sulfate solutions with specific gravities of 1.025 and 1.055. On the basis of buoyancy in these liquids, bovine liver samples were classified accurately as containing greater than 34% lipid, greater than 25% lipid, greater than 13% lipid, or less than 15% lipid.