Effects of Energy Supply from Roughage and Concentrates and the Occurrence of Subclinical Ketosis on Blood Chemistry and Liver Health in Lactating Dairy Cows during Early Lactation

Rolf Schmitz,Jürgen Rehage,Liane Hüther,Ulrich Meyer,Jana Frahm,Dirk Von Soosten,Karina Schnabel,Helga Sauerwein,Sven Dänicke,Hubert Spiekers

doi:10.3390/dairy2010003

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of varying dietary energy supply as well as the impacts of subclinical ketosis (SCK) on blood chemistry and liver health. A total 63 German-Holstein cows were housed from three weeks antepartum until sixteen weeks postpartum. After calving, cows were assigned to one of four treatment groups receiving either moderate or high energy concentrations in roughage and secondly moderate or high amounts of concentrates. Retrospectively, cows were additionally grouped according to their β-hydroxybutyrate concentration (SK: cows with SCK vs. CON: cows without SCK). The different energy supply of treatment groups had little effects on blood and liver variables; greater differences occurred between SK and CON cows. Liver fat content of SK cows was 34% higher compared to CON cows. Also, the activity of aspartate aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transferase, bilirubin concentration, and percentage of granulocytes were increased in SK cows. The results indicate that cows were able to adjust their metabolism to different dietary energy supplies without having a clearly increased risks for metabolic disorders. However, individual animals of all groups developed a metabolic derailment during the postpartum period resulting in SCK, which is closely connected with impaired liver function, compromised immune-responsiveness, and elevated oxidative stress.

Highlights

During the transition period, high yielding dairy cows are confronted with massive endocrine, metabolic, and dietary challenges related to parturition and onset of lactation
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of a varying energy supply from roughage concentrates on haematological, biochemical, The purpose of the and present study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory a varying energy and antioxidative blood variables and, to determine how these variables are supply from roughage and concentrates on haematological, biochemical, inflammatory altered in cows with subclinical ketosis (SCK)
The results of the present study illustrate the important challenges for the immune system and metabolism which have to be overcome by dairy cows during peripartal period and early lactation

Summary

Introduction

High yielding dairy cows are confronted with massive endocrine, metabolic, and dietary challenges related to parturition and onset of lactation. The increased energy requirements due to onset of lactation are not equivalently accompanied by an increased energy intake, which results in an aggravation of negative energy balance (NEB) [1]. In adaption to this energy gap, cows mobilise body reserves, leading to increased concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) in the blood. The capacity to metabolise NEFA is limited, so that excessive lipid mobilisation can lead to an imbalance of the fat to carbohydrate metabolism, with resulting accumulation of triglycerides in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and elevated ketone bodies in the blood [2]. Hepatic clearance capacity for bilirubin might be adversely affected, resulting in increased concentrations in peripheral blood

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