| Summary: | Checking the health status of the individual animal and/or herd in a farm is one of the most important factors in diary production. Because of its high economical value, the early detection of ongoing disease is of high interest in breeders and veterinary clinical practitioners. The acute phase response (APR) is a non-specific systemic reaction for any type of tissue injury leading to disturbances in homeostasis. During this reaction, the production of acute-phase proteins (APPs) is changed. APPs may act as biomarkers of inflammation, allowing researchers to study the progression of the inflammatory response. One of the major APPs in cows is serum amyloid A (SAA). Due to its short half-life and the fast dynamic of changes in blood concentration, SAA seems to be a reliable indicator of several pathologies and treatment effectiveness. Because the blood-based and milk protein biomarkers of the herd’s health status are of great interest, this article reviews the current information about changes in SAA concentrations in the blood and milk of cattle in health and disease. It summarizes its clinical usefulness as a health status indicator in diary production.
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