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Enhanced Insulin-Dependent Glucose Utilization in Iron-Deficient Veal Calves^{1, 2, 3,}

Division of Nutrition Pathology, Institute of Animal Breeding, University of Berne, 3012 Berne, Switzerland ^* Institute of Physiology, University of Lausanne, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland

Based on studies in Fe-deficient calves demonstrating enhanced blood lactate concentrations during treadmill exercise, the hypothesis was advanced that glucose metabolism is also disturbed at rest. Insulin-dependent glucose metabolism was therefore investigated in calves fed milk replacer containing 20 or 50 mg Fe/kg. Calves receiving only 20 mg Fe/kg of milk replacer developed moderate Fe deficiency anemia and had lower average daily gain than calves fed milk replacer containing 50 mg Fe/kg, but feed intake and feed refusals did not differ between groups. In Fe-deficient calves, insulin responses to glucose, based on intravenous and oral glucose tolerance and hyperglycemic clamp tests, were normal. Using hyperglycemic and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamps combined with [¹³C₆]glucose infusions, glucose utilization and tissue sensitivity to insulin were greater in Fe-deficient calves than in Fe-adequate calves. Observed reductions in growth performance may be explained by decreased activity of Fe-dependent enzymes, increased anaerobic glycolysis and lactate-glucose cycling, adaptations that are expected to be energy expensive.

KEY WORDS: • iron deficiency • insulin sensitivity • glucose metabolism • veal calves

¹ This work is part of a thesis of R. Hostettler-Allen, accepted by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Berne, December 1992, and was presented at the Satellite Meeting (to the Eighth International Conference on Production Diseases in Farm Animals) on "Nutrition-Related Endocrine Changes in Cattle," August 29, 1992, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.

² Supported by the Swiss Federal Veterinary Administration (grant 014.91.2) and the Prof. Dr. Max Cloetta Foundation (L. T.).

³ The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 USC section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

⁴ To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Manuscript received 23 November 1992. Revision accepted 24 May 1993.