Comparison of methods for evaluation of beta-hydroxybutyrate in ewes

ABSTRACT Currently the use of portable sensors for measuring ketone bodies is standardized and diffused in the clinical routine, however, studies in sheep are scarce. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the human portable sensor and the veterinary portable sensor for the determination of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in sheep at the end of gestation and postpartum. We used 37 samples of blood from nine crossbred Corriedale sheep. Biochemical determination of serum BHB, considered gold standard, was performed using colorimetric enzymatic methodology. The mean serum biochemistry was 0.497mmol/L, in the human sensor the mean was 0.537mmol/L, while in the veterinary sensor it was 0.751mmol/L. A high correlation was verified between the dosimeter for human use and the gold standard (r= 0.93, P