Blood metabolite parameters during the pregnancy and lactation of brahman crossbred cows grazed under oil palm plantation in kalimantan, indonesia

| The effect of physiological status on blood chemistry parameters of grazing cows using the oil palm cattle integration system (OPCIS) has never been reported in tropical areas of Indonesia. This study aimed to assess the profile of the metabolic parameters at the different physiological statuses of Brahman crossbred (BX) cows grazed under the oil palm plantation. A total of 80 clinically healthy adult cows, comprising 40 pregnant and 40 lactating cows, were used in this study. Cows were grazed on oil palm plantations covering an area of 2,700 Ha for 90 days using a rotational grazing model. Clinical examinations were conducted after rotational grazing, followed by blood sampling from the jugular vein. The results showed that the pregnant animals had a higher level of triglycerides in comparison to the lactating ones (P<0.05), whereas the pregnant animals had lowered level of Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, glucose, globulin, and serum total protein than the lactating ones (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum P, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine concentrations between the pregnant and lactating cows (P>0.05). It could be concluded that physiological status had a significant influence on some blood metabolic parameters of BX cows grazed under oil palm plantations.These findings might support the clinical diagnosis and formulation of preventive strategies for metabolic disorders in cattle raised in the OPCIS. © 2021 Kristanto et al.