Abstract
During late gestation and early lactation, many proliferative processes and metabolic adaptions are involved in homeorhesis. An adjusted supply of oxygen is a precondition for an optimized cellular energy metabolism whereby erythrocytes play a central role. Endogenous L-carnitine modulates the mitochondrial fatty acid utilization for generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As it might be insufficient around calving due to increased need, L-carnitine supplementation is frequently recommended. Thus, the present study addressed the interplay between the red hemogram, platelets, oxidative stress indices, and L-carnitine supplementation of dairy cows around calving. German Holstein cows were assigned to a control (n = 30) and an L-carnitine group (n = 29, 25 g of rumen-protected L-carnitine per cow and per day), and blood samples were taken from day 42 ante partum (ap) until day 110 postpartum (pp), with a higher sampling frequency during the first three days pp. The time courses of the erythrogram parameters reflected the physiological adaptations to the oxygen need without being influenced by L-carnitine supplementation. Erythrocytic antioxidative enzymatic defence paralleled the relative development of polycythemia ap, while non-enzymatic total plasma antioxidative capacity continuously increased pp. In contrast to erythrocytes, the platelet counts of the L-carnitine supplemented cows varied at significantly higher levels. This can be interpreted as a result of a membrane-stabilizing effect of L-carnitine.
Highlights
IntroductionThe transition phase of the cow constitutes a special feature of the production cycle [1,2]
The transition phase of the cow constitutes a special feature of the production cycle [1,2].This time is defined as the period from three weeks before until three weeks after calving, and it is metabolically and physiologically challenging for dairy cows [3]
Dietary L-carnitine supplementation failed to modify the kinetics of the erythrogram as well as related indices in the transition period of cows
Summary
The transition phase of the cow constitutes a special feature of the production cycle [1,2] This time is defined as the period from three weeks before until three weeks after calving, and it is metabolically and physiologically challenging for dairy cows [3]. Hematological alterations are a part of these adaptations. The platelets (PLTs) and the erythrogram are part of a complete hematological profile, they have not been the focus of earlier studies. RBCs contain no nucleus and no mitochondria, and have a purely anaerobic energy metabolism [5,6]. Their primary task is the transport of oxygen
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