Blood Flow and Nutrient Uptake of the Bovine Uterus and Fetus

Authors

Calvin L. Ferrell, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center
Ronald L. Prior, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center
Ronald K. Christenson, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center
Stephen P. Ford, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center

Date of this Version

1982

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published in Beef Research Program Progress Report (1982) No. 1: 30-31

Abstract

Basic knowledge of the nutritional and hormonal requirements for normal development of the fetus and other gravid uterine tissues is essential to establish bases from which to study factors that my contribute to abnormal fetal development. Despite recognition of this necessity, few data are available that describe blood flow to the gravid uterus of cows. Data obtained by Ferrell and Ford (1980) indicated blood flow to the gravid uterus was 75, 155, 154, 105, and 60 ml/min/kg at 80, 140, 180, 210, and 240 days of gestation. Silver and Comline (1975) reported blood flow to be 312±20 ml/min/kg gravid uterus in cows during late gestation. Blood flow to the gravid uterus in cows was about 14% of cardiac output, which compares favorably to the estimate of 15.7% in sheep. The estimate obtained by Solver and Comline would represent about 35% of cardiac output. It is probable that the estimates of Ferrell and Ford (1980) were underestimates and those of Silver and Comline (1975) were overestimates of uterine blood flow.