Prevalence of Subclinical Pregnancy Toxemia and Its Effect on Metabolic Profile of Ewes: A Field Study

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of subclinical pregnancy toxemia (SPT) in pregnant ewes and its effects on biochemical parameters. A total of 114 pregnant ewes were included in the study, and the animals were classified into two groups: healthy and SPT, based on their serum β-hydroxybutyrate (β-HBA) levels. The findings demonstrated a significant increase in β-HBA levels as pregnancy progressed (first trimester: 0.45 mmol/L; second trimester 0.58 mmol/L; third trimester: 0.74 mmol/L), indicating an elevated risk of pregnancy toxemia in later gestational stages. The most notable difference was observed in triglyceride (TRIG) levels, which significantly increased in the SPT group, reaching 51.1 mg/dL (p < 0.05). Although the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level was not changed statistically, large effect size (0.91) indicates an increase tendency of AST in SPT group. Similarly, total bilirubin (TBILC) levels were elevated in the SPT group with moderate effect size (0.61). No significant differences were found between groups in terms of glucose (GLUC), cholesterol (CHOL), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. These results suggest that SPT exhibits a subclinical nature and causes limited hepatic involvement during the early stages. In conclusion, TRIG levels emerge as a potential supportive biomarker in addition to serum β-HBA for the early diagnosis of subclinical pregnancy toxemia. Therefore, routine monitoring of these parameters may be beneficial for the early detection of SPT and for taking preventive measures before the development of clinical symptoms.