Tissue mobilization to meet the nutritional requirements of a growing gravid uterus and strategies to mitigate its intensity in dairy cows

Document Type : Original Research Article (Regular Paper)

Authors

1 Department of Animal Science, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran

2 Division of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Animal Science Research Institute of Iran, Agriculture Research, Education, and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

3 Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of different diets on late-pregnant Holstein cows. Twenty-one multiparous cows were grouped into three dietary treatments: a control diet, a diet with rumen-protected amino acids (methionine and lysine; PAA), and a high-crude protein (High-CP) diet contained with plant source proteins. The cows were transferred to individual stalls 28 days before calving and remained until parturition. Weekly measurements included the body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and back fat and eye muscle depths. Blood and urine samples were taken for analysis of β-hydroxy butyrate (βHB), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), cholesterol, and nitrogenous compounds. Colostrum and placental attributes were collected at calving. Results showed a 25% decrease in dry matter intake near calving, with stable BW and BCS. The cows that fed on High-CP, had the highest back fat and eye muscle depth. Blood metabolite analysis revealed decreasing anabolic markers [albumin, plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), cholesterol] and increasing catabolic markers (creatinine, βHB, NEFA) toward calving. Plasma 3-methylhistidine (3-MH) levels rose, indicating muscle mobilization. Urinary excretion of allantoin, total urea nitrogen, and uric acid decreased significantly (P<0.001), reflecting increased nitrogen demand. The cows that fed with High-CP exhibited higher fecal nitrogen excretion, while the cows on PAA had lower metabolic fecal nitrogen (MFN) levels. The calf BW was highest in the PAA group, and their colostrum showed higher protein content and lower freezing points. This study highlights dynamic metabolic shifts in dairy cows during late pregnancy, with significant muscle and fat mobilization despite stable body metrics. High dietary CP could not prevent muscle mobilization, suggesting the need for adaptive feeding strategies. The results underline the importance of dietary supplementation, particularly PAA, to meet the heightened nutritional demands during this critical period.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

References
AOAC., 1990. Official Methods of Analysis. Vol. I. 15th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Arlington, VA, USA.
Bell, A.W., Bauman, D.E., 1997. Adaptations of glucose metabolism during pregnancy and lactation. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology, Neoplasia 2, 265-278.
Bell, A.W., Burhans, W.S., Overton T.R., 2000. Protein nutrition in late pregnancy, maternal protein reserves and lactation performance in dairy cows. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 59,119-126. http:// doi.org/10.1017/ S0029665100000148.
Bell, A.W., Slepetis, R., Ehrhardt, R.A., 1995. Growth and accretion of energy and protein in the gravid uterus during late pregnancy in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 78, 1954-1961.
Blum, J.W., Reding, T., Jans, F., Wanner, M., Zemp, M., Bachmann, K.,1985. Variations of 3-methylhistidine in blood of dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 68, 2580-2587. https://doi .org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(85)81140-1.
Bradford, B.J., Swartz, T.H., 2020. Review: Following the smoke signals: Inflammatory signaling in metabolic homeostasis and homeorhesis in dairy cattle. Animal 14(S1), s144-s154. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S1751731119003203.
Brandon, M.R., Watson, D.L. Lascelles, A.K., 1971. The mechanism of transfer of immunoglobulin into mammary secretion of cows. Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science 49, 613-623. https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.1971.67.
Ceciliani, F., Lecchi, C., Urh, C., Sauerwein, H., 2018. Proteomics and metabolomics characterizing the pathophysiology of adaptive reactions to the metabolic challenges during the transition from late pregnancy to early lactation in dairy cows. Journal of Proteomics 178, 92-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2017.10.010.
Chibisa, G.E., Gozho, G.N., van Kessel, A.G., Olkowski, A.A., Mutsvangwa, T., 2008. Effects of peripartum propylene glycol supplementation on nitrogen metabolism, body composition, and gene expression for the major protein degradation pathways in skeletal muscle in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 3512-3527. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2007-0920.
Chizzotti, M.L., Valadares, S.D., Valadares, R.F.D., Chizzotti, F.H.M., Tedeschi, L.O., 2008. Determination of creatinine excretion and evaluation of spot urine sampling in Holstein cattle. Livestock Science 113, 218-225.
Cornelius, C.E., Baker, N.F., Kaneko, J.J., Douglas, J.J., 1962. Distribution and turnover of iodine-131-tagged bovine albumin in normal and parasitized cattle. American Journal of Veterinary Research 23, 837-842.
Davis, T.A., Fiorotto, M.L., 2005. Regulation of skeletal muscle protein metabolism in growing animals. In: Burrin, D.G., Mersmann, H.J. (Eds.), Biology of Metabolism in Growing Animals, Vol. 3. Elsevier, pp. 35-68.
Detmann, E., Valente, E.E.L., Batista, E.D., Huhtanen, P., 2014. An evaluation of performance and efficiency of nitrogen utilization in cattle fed tropical grass pastures with supplementation. Livestock Science 162, 141-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2014.01.029.
Doepel, L., Lapierre, H., Kennelly, J.J., 2002. Peripartum performance and metabolism of dairy cows in response to prepartum energy and protein intake. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 2315-2334.
Drackley, J.K., 1999. Biology of dairy cows during the transition period: The final frontier? Journal of Dairy Science 82, 2259-2273. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(99)75474-3.
Drackley, J.K., Cardoso, F.C., 2014. Prepartum and postpartum nutritional management to optimize fertility in high-yielding dairy cows in confined TMR systems. Animal 8 (Suppl.  1), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731114000731.
Edmonson, A.J., Lean, I.J., Weaver, L.D., Farver, T., Webster, G., 1989. A body condition scoring chart for Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 72, 68-78.
Edouard, E., Hassouna, M., Robin, P., Faverdin, P. 2016. Low degradable protein supply to increase nitrogen efficiency in lactating dairy cows and reduce environmental impacts at barn level. Animal 10, 212-220. https://hal.science/hal-01209292.
FASS., 2010. Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching, 3rd ed. Federation of Animal Science Societies, Champaign, IL.
Faverdin, P., Verite, R., 1998. Utilisation de la teneur en uree du lair indicateur de la nutrition protcique et des rejets azotes chez la vache hitiere, Rencontres Rccherches Ruminants 5, 209-215.
Guinard, J., Rulquin, H., 1994. Effects of graded amounts of duodenal infusions of lysine on the mammary uptake of major milk precursors in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 77, 3565e76.
Hayirli, A., Grummer, R.R., Nordheim, E.E., Crump, E., 2002. Animal and dietary factors affecting feed intake during the prefresh transition period in Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 85, 3430-3443. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(02)74431-7.
Houweling, M., Van der Drift, G.A., Jorritsma, R., Tielens, A.G.M., 2012. Technical note: Quantification of plasma 1- and 3-methylhistidine in dairy cows by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 3125-3130.
Huyler, M.T., Kincaid, R.L., Dostal, D.F., 1999. Metabolic and yield responses of multiparous Holstein cows to prepartum rumen undegradable protein. Journal of Dairy Science 82, 527-536. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(99)75264-1.
Kokkonen, T., Taponen, J., Anttila, T., Syrjälä-Qvist, L., Delavaud, C., Chilliard, Y., Tuori, M., Tesfa, A.T., 2005. Effect of body fatness and glucogenic supplement on lipid and protein mobilization and plasma leptin in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 1127-1141. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(05)72779-X.
Komaragiri, M.V.S., Casper, D.P., Erdman, R.A., 1998. Factors affecting body tissue mobilization in early lactation dairy cows. 2. Effect of dietary fat on mobilization of body fat and protein. Journal of Dairy Science 81, 169-175.
Lean, I.J., Van Saun, R., Degaris, P.J., 2013. Energy and protein nutrition management of transition dairy cows. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 29,337-366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvfa.2013.03.005.
Lee, C. Morris, D.L., Dieter, P.A., 2019. Validating and optimizing spot sampling of urine to estimate urine output with creatinine as a marker in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 102, 236-245.
Lin, X., Li, S., Zou, Y., Zhao, F., Liu, J., Liu, H., 2018. Lysine stimulates protein synthesis by promoting the expression of ATB0, + and activating the mTOR pathway in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Journal of Nutrition 148,1426e33.
Linder, D.R,, Tigemeyer, E.C., Olson, K.C., Anderson, D.E., 2014. Effects of gestation and lactation on forage intake, digestion, and passage rates of primiparous beef heifers and multiparous beef cows. Journal of Animal Science 92, 2141-2151. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2013-6813.
Megahed, A.A., Hiew, M.W.H., Ragland, D., Constable, P.D., 2019. Changes in skeletal muscle thickness and echogenicity and plasma creatinine concentration as indicators of protein and intramuscular fat mobilization in periparturient dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 102, 5550-5565. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-15063.
Moharrery, A., Das, T.K., 2002. Correlation between microbial enzyme activities in the rumen fluid of sheep under different treatments. Reproduction Nutrition Development 41, 513-529.
NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine), 2021. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 8th Rev. ed. National Academy Press, Washington, DC, USA.
Nishizawa, N., Toyoda, Y., Noguchi, T., Hareyama, S., Itabashi, H., Funabiki, R., 1979. Nτ-Methyl histidine content of organs and tissues of cattle in an attempt to estimate fractional catabolic and synthetic rates of myofibrillar proteins of skeletal muscle during growth by measuring urinary output of Nτ-methyl histidine. British Journal of Nutrition 42, 247-252. https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN19790111.
NRC, 1988. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 6th ed. National Academy Press Washington, DC, USA.
NRC, 2001. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 7th ed. National Academy Press Washington, DC, USA.
Pires, J.A., Delavaud, A.C., Faulconnier, Y., Pomies, D., Chilliard, Y., 2013. Effects of body condition score at calving on indicators of fat and protein mobilization of periparturient Holstein-Friesian cows. Journal of Dairy Science 96, 6423-6439.
Sadri, H., Ghaffari, M.H., Sauerwein, H., 2023. Invited review: Muscle protein breakdown and its assessment in periparturient dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 106, 822-842. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22068.
Santos, J. E., DePeters, E.J., Jardon, P.W., Huber, J.T., 2001. Effect of prepartum dietary protein level on performance of primigravid and multiparous Holstein dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 84, 213-224. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(01)74471-2.
Siachos, N., Tsiamadis, V., Oikonomou, G., Panousis, N., Banos, G., Sampsonidis, I., Kalogiannis, S., Arsenos, G., Valergakis, G. E., 2024. Variation in protein metabolism biomarkers during the transition period and associations with health, colostrum quality, reproduction, and milk production traits in Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 107, 4056-4074. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-24168.
Stanley, T.A., Cochran, R.C., Vanzat, E.S., Harmon, D., Corah, L., 1993. Periparturient changes in intake, ruminal capacity, and digestive characteristics in beef cows consuming alfalfa hay. Journal of Animal Science 71, 788-795. https://doi.org/10.2527/1993.713788x.
Tee, A.R., 2018. The target of rapamycin and mechanisms of cell growth. International Journal of Molecular Science 19, 880-892. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19030880.
Titgemeyer, E.C., Merchen, N.R., Berger, L.L., 1989. Evaluation of soybean meal, corn gluten meal, blood meal and fish meal as sources of nitrogen and amino acids disappearing from the small intestine of steers. Journal of Animal Science 67, 262e75.
Topps, J.H., Elliott, R.C., 1965. Relationship between concentrations of ruminal nucleic acids and excretion of purine derivatives by sheep. Nature 205, 498-499.
Valadares, R.F., Broderick, D.G.A., Valadares, S.C., Clayton, M.K., 1999. Effect of replacing alfalfa silage with high moisture corn on ruminal protein synthesis estimated from excretion of total purine derivatives. Journal of Dairy Science 82, 2686-2696.
Van der Drift, S.G.A., Houweling, M., Schonewille, J.T., Tielens, A.G.M., Jorritsma, R., 2012. Protein and fat mobilization and associations with serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 4911-4920.
Van Knegsel, A.T., Van Den Brand, H., Dijkstra, J., Van Straalen, W.M., Heetkamp, M.J.W., Tamminga, S., Kemp, B., 2007. Dietary energy source in dairy cows in early lactation: Energy partitioning and milk composition. Journal of Dairy Science 90,1467-1476.
Van Soest, P.J., Robertson, J.B., Lewis, B.A., 1991. Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3583-3597.
Journal of Livestock Science and Technologies
Volume 12, Issue 2
December 2024
Pages 31-41

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics