Propionate tolerance test for determination of insulin secretion in a hyperglycemic Japanese Black steer

A propionate tolerance test (PTT) was used to determine the pathophysiology of a Japanese Black steer with hyperglycemia. In the hyperglycemic steer, a low insulin secretion was confirmed by a glucose tolerance test (GTT), so that the hyperglycemic steer was diagnosed as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Although the plasma insulin concentration in the control cattle increased in response to propionate stimulation, a low insulin response to PTT was observed in the diabetic steer. The fact that both PTT and GTT determined that the diabetic steer had low insulin secretion suggests that the PTT might be an effective diagnostic tool for diabetes mellitus in cattle.