The objective of the study was to determine various liver metabolic changes associated with periparturient period (1 week before calving and 3 weeks after parturition) in dairy cows.

Twenty-one Holstein study cows and eight control from one commercial herd were used all the animals were monitored for bromosulphthalein (BSP) clearence test, liver biopsy and metabolic profile at 1st week before calving, on calving day (day 0), and at 1st, 2nd and 3rd weeks after parturition. Single intravenous injections of BSP were given to cows and the change in plasma BSP concentration with time was analysed for each measurement point. Additionally, metabolic profile as determined at each time during the study.

Analyses of variant indicated that most dramatic changes especially occured at wk 1 before parturition prior to wk 2 after parturition when compared to the other study groups (p<0.05) and non-pregnant cows (p<0.05). Results of the study showed that the periparturient period is very important in cattle life and only one diagnostic test may be mislead for evaluating the changes in the liver functions in the periparturient period. Therefore, performing all the diagnostic tests together are give us more valuable data about during the period in cows.