A novel chemical method for measuring ketone bodies in subclinical ketosis

Subclinical ketosis can cause greater economic loss due to a lack of clinical symptoms.

The present study was aimed to design a chemical method for measuring serum ketone bodies in the affected subclinical cows.

Acetoacetate concentrations were measured using a nitroprusside reaction and b-hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA) which was oxidized to acetoacetate using nanosilver particles to determine its concentration. Recovery tests were done for different concentrations of betahydroxy butyrate in bovine pooled serum.

Actoacetate levels were in range of 0.1-6 mM, and the values for BHBA were found to be in the range of 0.125-3 mM.

It was concluded that this technique can be considered as a simple method for measuring ketone bodies in biological fluids.