[Endocrine pancreas function in cattle. I. Age-dependent responses in cattle as well as correlations between the mother animal and the fetus or the newborn].

An account of relevant literature is followed by reference to studies undertaken into age dependence of insulin levels in the blood and into the function of the endocrine pancreas in the peripartum period. The mean plasma insulin concentrations recorded from 251 heads of cattle of different age groups varies between 0.90 ng/ml and 1.90 ng/ml, and they did not exhibit any age-dependent alteration. A positively significant correlation coefficient between insulin and glucose levels in the blood was calculated for calves, aged three days and more. No significant correlations were found to exist between those two parameters in younger animals and in adult cattle. Parturition proper was accompanied by rise in insulin in the blood of mother animals. No difference between blood insulin of mother animals and blood insulin of their own newborn calves was observed up to twelve hours from parturition. Diaplacental insulin passage was established for cattle.