The determination of body water in cattle by the use of antipyrine

Author

Milton White Neathery

Date of Award

12-1955

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Animal Husbandry

Major Professor

Eric W. Swanson

Committee Members

Thomas W. Albrecht, C. E. Wylie, M. C. Bell, Harold J. Smith

Abstract

A satisfactory method for determining total body water in living animals has been sought by physiologists because of the great importance of water in the body. The presence of water is essential to the great mass of chemical reactions on which life depends. Water furnishes the single molecular element for the fabrication of tissue. It furnishes the means of transport of virtually all enzymes, substrates, antibodies, metabolites, gases, electrolytes, and other substances that must move to and from the cell.

The dairy cow is able to consume considerably large amounts of water because of her large gastrointestinal tract. The water level in the body is not constant. Some of the things that might alter this level are degree of fatness, stage of lactation, environmental temperature, and water intake. Certain diseases seem to cause a dehydrating effect on the animal, while others seem to cause edema. A knowledge of the total body water of the cow would help in the study of these conditions. The true weight of the animal under normal conditions could be determined. The degree of fatness could be estimated, since total body water has been found to be inversely proportional to total body fat. It would aid in the understanding of why the dressing percentage of some cattle are higher than others. Since body water is an important element in the manufacture of milk, possibly variations in milk production could be more thoroughly understood if the total body water of the cow was known.

One of the latest methods employed in the determination of total body water in vivo is the antipyrine dilution method. Antipyrine has been used to measure total body water in humans, rabbits, dogs, monkeys, sheep, swine, and beef cattle. At the present time very little information, if any, is available on the determination of total body water of dairy cattle by the use of antipyrine.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antipyrine dilution method for determining total body water of identical twin dairy cattle and from these data estimate per cent of total body fat.

Recommended Citation

Neathery, Milton White, "The determination of body water in cattle by the use of antipyrine. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1955.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/8977