Hamid Akbari - Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
Bahram Dalir-Naghadeh - Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

To evaluate the effect of intravenous infusion of a soybean based lipid emulsion (Lipovenoes ۱۰%) on some blood constituents in sheep, a replicated ۲ × ۲ Latin square design experiment was conducted in four clinically healthy ewes. Lipid emulsion (LE group) or normal saline (NS group) was infused intravenously at a rate of ۰.۰۲۵ mL kg-۱ per min for ۶ hr and the concentrations of blood triglyceride, glucose, insulin, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium and potassium were measured before (baseline) and then at timepoints ۲, ۴, ۶, ۱۲ and ۲۴ hr after infusion. Compared to the baseline values and/or NS infusion, LE infusion resulted in a significant increase in the concentrations of triglyceride (p < ۰.۰۰۱), glucose (p < ۰.۰۱), calcium (p < ۰.۰۵), phosphorous (p < ۰.۰۱) and a significant decrease in insulin (p < ۰.۰۰۱) and magnesium (p < ۰.۰۵) concentrations. Compared to the baseline value, the homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index increased (p < ۰.۰۰۱) at timepoints ۲ and ۴ hr and abruptly decreased at timepoint six hr (p < ۰.۰۱) following LE infusion. In LE group, HOMA-IR values were significantly (p < ۰.۰۰۱) higher than those for NS group at timepoints ۲ and ۴ hr after infusion. Neither treatment nor time influenced serum sodium and potassium concentrations (p > ۰.۰۵). In conclusion, intravenous infusion of Lipovenoes temporarily influenced some blood constituents. Increased triglyceride concentrations were associated with an increase in HOMA-IR values indicating a state of insulin resistance. No remarkable adverse effect was observed following LE infusion and lipid based emulsions can be safely used in ruminants not suffering from extensive lipid mobilization.

Blood constituents, Insulin resistance, Lipid emulsion, Sheep