Response of insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone to intravenous glucose challenge in cows fed high fat diets

Effect of feeding high fat diets on peripheral plasma concentrations of immunoreactive insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone following intravenous glucose challenge (100 mg D-glucose/kg body weight) at 50 and 100 d of lactation in 16 multiparous Holstein cows was evaluated. The high fat diet contained 18.5% whole cottonseed on a dry matter basis as the source of extra dietary fat. Feeding the high fat diet had no apparent effect on energy balance. Basal plasma insulin and insulin:glucagon ratio were increased in cows fed the high fat diet relative to those of controls. Glucagon, insulin, and insulin:glucagon ratio response to glucose challenge were not affected by diet. Response of growth hormone to glucose challenge at 50 d of lactation was depressed in cows fed the high fat diet. Plasma glucose peaked at greater concentrations in cows fed the high fat diet. Feeding a high fat diet to dairy cows appears to increase basal insulin concentration and insulin:glucagon ratio, which has actions opposed to glucose synthesis. Thus, endocrine effects of a high fat diet appear to favor decreased milk production.