Effect of Different Combinations of Dietary Vitamin A, Protein Levels, and Monensin on Inflammatory Markers and Metabolites, Retinol-Binding Protein, and Retinoid Status in Periparturient Dairy Cows.

Bruna C Agustinho,Pedram Rezamand,Chia-Yu Tsai,Mark A Mcguire,Chel Moore,Kirk C Ramsey,Cynthia M Scholte

doi:10.3390/ani11092605

Bruna C Agustinho, Pedram Rezamand + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092605

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Abstract

Simple SummaryThe transition period is a challenging time, which combines a massive increase in nutrient requirements and leads to a negative energy balance. Therefore, disorders related to negative energy balance, such as ketosis, are more frequent. In addition, in this period, oxidative stress increases, favoring immune suppression functions and inflammation, which may lead to increased susceptibility to other diseases such as metritis and mastitis. Therefore, the combination of ionophores, such as monensin, that mitigate the accentuated negative energy balance; vitamin A, which plays an important role in supporting the immune system; and a high level of crude protein might improve immune parameters in dairy cows in the transition period. This study demonstrated that monensin and vitamin A supplementation and high crude protein levels enhanced some vitamin status and inflammatory markers when used during the late prepartum period.The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding different combinations of dietary vitamin A supplementation (0 or 110 IU/kg body weight), protein (10.3% or 12.2%), and an ionophore (monensin at 0 or 400 mg/day) on retinoid metabolism and immune function of dairy cows. Eighty multiparous Holstein dairy cows were studied from d −35 to +21 relative to expected parturition in a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The significance of treatments was declared at p ≤ 0.05. Dairy cows receiving high crude protein (CP) diets with monensin had a greater retinol-binding protein serum concentration than cows receiving high CP diets without monensin (p = 0.04). Animals supplemented with vitamin A showed lower SCC (p = 0.04) and a higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances concentration (p = 0.06) than cows non-supplemented. Moreover, cows receiving low crude protein diets had a greater haptoglobin concentration (p = 0.01). In addition, cows fed a high crude protein diet had a greater TNF-α expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (p = 0.04). Animals fed diets without monensin had a greater serum haptoglobin on day 3 postpartum than those fed monensin (p = 0.01). Moreover, dietary vitamin A increased serum 13-cis retinoic acid postpartum. We conclude that vitamin A, crude protein levels, and monensin fed during the close-up period affect milk somatic cell count, some vitamin statuses, and inflammatory markers during early lactation.

Highlights

When the first three milkings were removed, there was a monensin × vitamin A interaction (p = 0.05); cows supplemented with vitamin A and monensin had the lowest somatic cell count (SCC)
The current study provides evidence that vitamin A supplementation may have a deleterious effect on cellular oxidation; further investigation is required because serum MDA was the only measure used to determine the antioxidant capacity of cows in our experiment
Somatic cell count is used to monitor mammary gland inflammation, and interestingly, the increase in SCC seen in the current study was observed in cows not receiving vitamin A supplementation. These results provide further evidence that does vitamin A play a role in immune function, Serum 13-Cis retinoic acid

Summary

Introduction

The transition period has been defined as approximately 3 weeks before to approximately 3 weeks after parturition [1]. Managing dairy cows during the transition period creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). Poses many challenges to the dairy industry. A primary challenge associated with the transition period is the massive increase in nutrient requirements through the end of gestation and initiating and maintaining lactation. It has been demonstrated that at 4 days postpartum, a healthy cow’s intake of net energy and metabolizable protein only accounts for. 65% and 75%, respectively, of her total requirements [2]. During the transition period, intake is reduced because of the hormonal changes [3]. An increase in nutrient requirements is typically not met by nutrient intake. The accentuated negative energy balance favors the occurrence of several metabolic disorders and diseases, such as ketosis and displacement of the abomasum [4,5]

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