scholarly journals Revisiting the Relationships between Fat-to-Protein Ratio in Milk and Energy Balance in Dairy Cows of Different Parities, and at Different Stages of Lactation

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3256
Author(s):  
Edward H. Cabezas-Garcia ◽  
Alan W. Gordon ◽  
Finbar J. Mulligan ◽  
Conrad P. Ferris

A statistical re-assessment of aggregated individual cow data was conducted to examine trends in fat-to-protein ratio in milk (FPR), and relationships between FPR and energy balance (EB, MJ of ME/day) in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows of different parities, and at different stages of lactation. The data were collected from 27 long-term production trials conducted between 1996 and 2016 at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland. In total, 1321 lactations (1 to 20 weeks in milk; WIM), derived from 840 individual cows fed mainly grass silage-based diets, were included in the analysis. The energy balance was calculated daily and then averaged weekly for statistical analyses. Data were further split in 4 wk. intervals, namely, 1–4, 5–8, 9–12, 13–16, and 17–20 WIM, and both partial correlations and linear regressions (mixed models) established between the mean FPR and EB during these periods. Three FPR score categories (‘Low’ FPR, <1.0; ‘Normal’ FPR, 1.0–1.5; ‘High’ FPR, >1.5) were adopted and the performance and EB indicators within each category were compared. As expected, multiparous cows experienced a greater negative EB compared to primiparous cows, due to their higher milk production relative to DMI. Relatively minor differences in milk fat and protein content resulted in large differences in FPR curves. Second lactation cows displayed the lowest weekly FPR, and this trend was aligned with smaller BW losses and lower concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) until at least 8 WIM. Partial correlations between FPR and EB were negative, and ‘greatest’ in early lactation (1–4 WIM; r = −0.38 on average), and gradually decreased as lactation progressed across all parities (17–20 WIM; r = −0.14 on average). With increasing parity, daily EB values tended to become more negative per unit of FPR. In primiparous cows, regression slopes between FPR and EB differed between 1–4 and 5–8 WIM (−54.6 vs. −47.5 MJ of ME/day), while differences in second lactation cows tended towards significance (−57.2 vs. −64.4 MJ of ME/day). Irrespective of the lactation number, after 9–12 WIM, there was a consistent trend for the slope of the linear relationships between FPR and EB to decrease as lactation progressed, with this likely reflecting the decreasing milk nutrient demands of the growing calf. The incidence of ‘High’ FPR scores was greatest during 1–4 WIM, and decreased as lactation progressed. ‘High’ FPR scores were associated with increased energy-corrected milk (ECM) yields across all parities and stages of lactation, and with smaller BW gains and increasing concentrations (log transformed) of blood metabolites (non-esterified fatty acid, NEFA; beta-hydroxybutyrate, BHB) until 8 WIM. Results from the present study highlight the strong relationships between FPR in milk, physiological changes, and EB profiles during early lactation. However, while FPR can provide an indication of EB at a herd level, the large cow-to-cow variation indicates that FPR cannot be used as a robust indicator of EB at an individual cow level.

2020 ◽  
Vol 292 ◽  
pp. 109766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dražen Đuričić ◽  
Blanka Beer Ljubić ◽  
Silvijo Vince ◽  
Romana Turk ◽  
Hrvoje Valpotić ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
D E Beever ◽  
J D Sutton ◽  
S B Cammell ◽  
M J Haines ◽  
M C Spooner ◽  
...  

When diets of concentrates and grass silage (70:30) were offered to cows to compare barley (B) and molassed sugar beet feed (SBF) as the major component of the concentrate, calorimelric studies revealed enhanced energy partition towards milk at the expense of tissue repletion on B, during lactation weeks 11-21, whilst heat production was unaffected (Beever et al., 1989). In contrast when Sutton el al. (1988) fed the same diets to early lactation cows SBF increased milk fat and energy yields particularly during weeks 4-10, but less so during weeks 11-14. One possible explanation for this difference in response may relate to the different stages of lactation examined. To investigate this further, energy partition was examined in cows between weeks 6 and 14 of lactation given barley or molassed sugar beet feed based concentrates with approximately equal proportions of grass silage.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Meyer ◽  
Susanne Ursula Daniels ◽  
Sandra Grindler ◽  
Johanna Tröscher-Mußotter ◽  
Mohamadtaher Alaedin ◽  
...  

Dairy cows are metabolically challenged during the transition period. Furthermore, the process of parturition represents an energy-consuming process. The degree of negative energy balance and recovery from calving also depends on the efficiency of mitochondrial energy generation. At this point, L-carnitine plays an important role for the transfer of fatty acids to the site of their mitochondrial utilisation. A control (n = 30) and an L-carnitine group (n = 29, 25 g rumen-protected L-carnitine per cow and day) were created and blood samples were taken from day 42 ante partum (ap) until day 110 post-partum (pp) to clarify the impact of L-carnitine supplementation on dairy cows, especially during the transition period and early puerperium. Blood and clinical parameters were recorded in high resolution from 0.5 h to 72 h pp. L-carnitine-supplemented cows had higher amounts of milk fat in early lactation and higher triacylglyceride concentrations in plasma ap, indicating increased efficiency of fat oxidation. However, neither recovery from calving nor energy balance and lipomobilisation were influenced by L-carnitine.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 192-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Chanda ◽  
GK Debnath ◽  
KI Khan ◽  
MM Rahman ◽  
GC Chanda

The aim of the study was to know the effect of heat stress on milk yield and its composition of Holstein Friesian crossbred dairy cows rearing under intensive management system.Heat stress in dairy cows is caused by a combination of environmental factors i.e. temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and air movement, etc. Grading-up of local cattle by temperate breeds for greater performance results to increase the sensitivity to heat stress. The trial was conducted during hot (May-July) and cool period (December-February) on a total of 12 crossbred dairy cows in early lactation period (first 60 days of lactation). The selected cows were divided into two groups namely as G1 (Holstein-Friesian 50% × Local 50%) and G2 (Holstein-Friesian 75% × Local 25%) and each group containing three cows of 3rd lactation in both periods of trail. Cows of each group were offered same quality and quantity of feed and reared in same management condition in both the trail periods. The mean average temperature humidity index (THI) of the stanchion barn were 70.83± 0.535 and 83.87± 0.375 in cool and hot period, respectively. The differences of THI of cool and hot season was significant (p<0.05). The average rectal temperature (0F) of G1 group was 101.51± 0.027and 102.15±0.049 in cool and hot period, respectively. On the other hand, the average rectal temperature (0F) of G2 group was 101.68± 0.035 and 102.5±0.052 in cool and hot period, respectively. The differences of rectal temperature of both groups between cool and hot season were significant (p<0.05). The average milk yield (Liter/day) of both groups was significantly (p<0.05) higher in cool period (14.92±0.019 and 19.54± 0.116 for G1 and G2 group, respectively) than in hot period (12.84±0.152 and 15±0.137 for G1 and G2 group, respectively). The milk yield of G2 group hampered more compare to G1 group due to higher THI during hot season. The milk fat, protein and lactose of both groups were significantly higher (p<0.05) during lower THI period compare to higher THI period, while the higher values of minerals detected in higher THI period but the differences were not statistically significant (p<0.05). From the result it is evident that the milk yield and composition are greatly affected by the heat stress during early lactation period.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2017. 46 (3): 192-197


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nowroozi-Asl ◽  
N. Aarabi ◽  
A. Rowshan-Ghasrodashti

AbstractThe transition from late gestation to early lactation is a critical period in a dairy cow’s life so that dairy cows undergo tremendous changes during this period.The aim of this study was to determine blood levels of ghrelin, leptin, glucose, β-ydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), triglycerides (TG), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) in dairy Holstein cows (n = 20) and their correlations during the transition period.Blood samples were collected weekly from 3 wk antepartum to 6 wk postpartum from 20 high-yielding Holstein-Friesian cows. Ghrelin and leptin of plasma and glucose, BHB, NEFA, TG, T3, T4 of serum were then measured.Early lactation cows showed significantly higher (p<0.05) values of ghrelin, BHB and NEFA, and lower levels of leptin, TG, T3 and T4 (p<0.05) compared to late dry cows. Serum concentrations of glucose did not differ significantly at any time (P>0.05).Plasma ghrelin concentrations showed positive correlations with the serum BHB and NEFA (p<0.01), while plasma ghrelin had negative correlations (p<0.01) with leptin, TG, T3 and T4. In addition, no significant correlation (p>0.05) was found between ghrelin and glucose.The results of the study showed that blood ghrelin, leptin, BHB and NEFA levels are sensitive indicators of the energy balance during the peri-partum period in dairy cows and glucose values may not be considered as a precise indicator of negative energy balance in dairy cows.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 610
Author(s):  
Ramūnas Antanaitis ◽  
Vida Juozaitienė ◽  
Gediminas Urbonavičius ◽  
Dovilė Malašauskienė ◽  
Mindaugas Televičius ◽  
...  

In this study we hypothesized that the lameness of early lactation dairy cows would have an impact on inline biomarkers, such as rumination time (RT), milk fat (%), milk protein (%), milk fat/protein ratio (F/P), milk lactose (L, %), milk electrical conductivity of all udder quarters, body weight (BW), temperature of reticulorumen content (TRR), pH of reticulorumen content (pH), and walking activity (activity). All 30 lame cows (LCs) used in this experiment had a score of 3–4, identified according to the standard procedure of Sprecher et al.. The 30 healthy cows (HC) showed a lameness score of one. RT, milk fat, MY, milk protein, F/P, L, milk electrical conductivity of all udder quarters, and BW were registered using Lely Astronaut® A3 milking robots each time the cow was being milked. The TRR, cow activity, and pH of the contents of each cow’s reticulorumen were registered using specific smaXtec boluses. The study lasted a total of 28 days. Days “−14” to “−1” denote the days of the experimental period before the onset of clinical signs of lameness (day “0”), and days “1” to “13” indicate the period after the start of treatment. We found that from the ninth day before the diagnosis of laminitis until the end of our study, LCs had higher milk electrical conductivity in all udder quarters, and higher milk fat to protein ratios. On the 3rd day before the onset of clinical signs of the disease until the day of diagnosis, the milk fat of the LC group was reduced. The activity of the LCs decreased sharply from the second day to the first day after treatment. RT in the HC group tended to decrease during the experiment. pH in LCs also increased on the day of the appearance of clinical signs.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1674
Author(s):  
Ilona Strączek ◽  
Krzysztof Młynek ◽  
Agata Danielewicz

A significant factor in improving the performance of dairy cows is their physiological ability to correct a negative energy balance (NEB). This study, using Simmental (SIM) and Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows, aimed to assess changes in NEB (non-esterified fatty acid; body condition score; and C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1) and its effect on the metabolic efficiency of the liver (β-hydroxybutyrate and urea). The effects of NEB on daily yield, production at peak lactation and its duration, and changes in selected milk components were assessed during complete lactation. Up to peak lactation, the loss of the body condition score was similar in both breeds. Subsequently, SIM cows more efficiently restored their BCS. HF cows reached peak lactation faster and with a higher milk yield, but they were less able to correct NEB. During lactation, their non-esterified fatty acid, β-hydroxybutyrate, C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, and urea levels were persistently higher, which may indicate less efficient liver function during NEB. The dynamics of NEB were linked to levels of leptin, which has anorectic effects. Its content was usually higher in HF cows and during intensive lactogenesis. An effective response to NEB may be exploited to improve the production and nutritional properties of milk. In the long term, it may extend dairy cows’ productive life and increase lifetime yield.


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