Fluorometric determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate in milk and blood plasma

Determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) in blood and milk samples is an important tool in the diagnosis of ketosis in dairy cattle. Apart from semiquantitative cow-side tests, well-established laboratory methods exist for measurements in blood serum or plasma. These spectrophotometric methods are, however, neither convenient nor reliable when transferred to analyses of milk. Due to its nontransparent nature, milk needs extensive pretreatment if traditional analyses are to be used. This paper describes a fluorometric determination of BHBA that is useful without pretreatment in opaque matrices such as milk and in blood plasma. The method is easy to automate, saves labor expenses, and is inexpensive. The analytical accuracy and precision are reliable for intensive as well as large-scale analysis; for example, in-line sampling from automatic milking systems. Analysis of 2500 random milk samples showed a BHBA content ranging from 10 to 631 microM (mean 49 microM). Furthermore, selected samples (n = 295) from diagnosed ketotic animals taken on d -35 to +35 from peak level ranged from 10 to 684 microM (median 79 microM, mean 141 microM). Using the same 1240 blood plasma samples, the fluorometric method was closely correlated with a traditional spectrophotometric method (r = 0.987). Hemolysis of samples does not appear to affect the fluorometric determination of BHBA.