Impact of nutritional strategies on immunometabolic biomarkers, reproductive tract physiology and health of Holstein cows

Guadagnin, Anne Rosi

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115404 Copy

Description

Title

Impact of nutritional strategies on immunometabolic biomarkers, reproductive tract physiology and health of Holstein cows

Author(s)

Guadagnin, Anne Rosi

Issue Date

2022-04-25

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Cardoso, Phil

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Cardoso, Phil

Committee Member(s)

• Drackley, James K
• LeBlanc, Stephen J
• Steelman, Andrew J
• Denicol, Anna C

Department of Study

Animal Sciences

Discipline

Animal Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• Amino acids
• dairy cows
• dry matter intake
• reproduction
• uterine health

Abstract

High-producing dairy cows are faced with a dysfunctional immune system and an increased inflammatory state during the peripartal period. Furthermore, the increase in the energy demands associated with a decrease in dry matter intake (DMI) results in a negative protein and energy balance. Physiological and metabolic changes occur to support lactation while in a nutrient deficit. A difficult or improper adaptation to this challenging period is associated with increased risk for developing disorders, including reproductive tract inflammatory disorders. This could negatively impact cows’ reproductive performance, further increasing the economic losses caused by poor management of transition period. To address this challenge, we evaluated the effects of feeding rumen-protected Lys (RPL) through the transition period on the reproductive physiology and health of dairy cows. Methionine and Lys are often the most limiting amino acids in dairy cattle diets, and it was previously determined that methionine has an impact on the uterine inflammation and immunity (Experiment 3), and metabolism of dairy cows. However, whether lysine plays a similar role is unknown. Experiments 1 and 2 were companion studies and were conducted to determine the effect of feeding RPL (AjiPro-L Generation 3, Ajinomoto Heartland Inc., Chicago, IL) prepartum, postpartum, or both on follicular dynamics, uterine health, and mRNA gene expression of the endometrium, and mRNA and protein expression of placental samples of Holstein cows. Seventy-five multiparous Holstein cows were assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments with or without RPL in a randomized, complete block design. Prepartum (–28 d to calving), animals were fed a diet (68% of dietary DM from forage) with RPL (PRE-L; 0.54 % RPL of dietary DMI) or without RPL (PRE-C). After calving, half of the cows from each prepartum treatment group were assigned to a diet (56% forage) with RPL (PRE-L POST-L; PRE-C POST-L; 0.40 % RPL of dietary dry matter intake) or without RPL (PRE-C POST-C; PRE-L POST-C) until 28 days in milk (DIM). For Experiment 1, postpartum uterine health was assessed through evaluation of vaginal discharge, percentage of uterine polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) at 15 and 28 DIM, and histology and mRNA expression of uterine tissue harvested at 28 DIM. Additionally, the first postpartum follicular growth cycle was monitored via transrectal ultrasonography. Feeding RPL pre- and postpartum decreased the number of PMN cells in the uterus, while feeding RPL prepartum downregulated the expression of transcripts involved in inflammation process in endometrial samples collected at 28 DIM. Additionally, feeding RPL postpartum upregulated the expression of mucin transcripts and fibroblast growth factor 10, and downregulated the expression of superoxide dismutase 1 in the endometrium at 28 DIM. Finally, supplementation of RPL did not change days to first ovulation. For Experiment 2, placentas were collected after natural delivery (6.87 ± 3.32 h). One placentome from each placental region (cranial, central, and caudal) was collected, combined, and flash-frozen in liquid N to evaluate the expression of transcripts and proteins related to placental and protein metabolism and inflammation. Feeding rumen-protected Lys (RPL) during the last month of gestation resulted in increased uteroplacental expression of genes involved in placental glucose uptake and metabolism, such as glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1), and increased protein abundance of LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1). Moreover, increased expression of the transcript and protein fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), and increased expression pf placental growth factor (PGF) indicate enhanced placental metabolic activity. Previous data had established that feeding rumen-protected Met (RPM) during the transition period improved postpartum vaginal discharge and uterine immunity and health. Thus, Experiment 3 aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding RPM during the peripartal period and early lactation on mRNA gene expression profiles of uterine cytological smear and endometrial samples of Holstein cows. Treatments consisted of a supplementation with RPM [MET; n = 11; RPM at a rate of 0.08% of DM: Lys:Met = 2.8:1, (Smartamine® M Adisseo, Alpharetta, GA, USA)] and no supplementation (CON; n = 9; Lys:Met = 3.5:1). Cows fed RPM had decreased expression of transcripts involved in inflammatory processes in cytological samples and increased expression of genes involved in overall tissue metabolism in the endometrium. Thus, feeding RPM during the transition period and early lactation modulates the uterine metabolism and immune defense system, which could decrease the susceptibility to reproductive tract inflammatory diseases. Finally, Experiment 4 aimed to determine the association of prepartum and postpartum DMI, lactation performance, and days to first ovulation with measurements of uterine health in the early postpartum. Uterine health, which is crucial for the reproductive success of postpartum dairy cows, is affected by the impairment of PMN function faced by transitioning cows. The impairment in PMN function is attributed to increased exposure to metabolites of homeorhetic mechanisms to support lactation, such as NEFA, and to decreased availability of glucose. Thus, intake might be associated with cytological endometritis because it is closely related to nutrient availability, and it is one of the main determinants of NEB. We conducted a pooled statistical analysis of five studies, including data from 394 multiparous Holstein cows. Based on the cutoffs for the percentage of PMN, determined by taking the median value of the data set for 15 and 30 DIM, cows were categorized as follows: LOW15 (PMN % at 15 DIM ≤ 24%), HIGH15 (PMN % at 15 DIM > 24%), LOW30 (PMN % at 30 DIM ≤ 7%); and HIGH30 (PMN % at 30 DIM > 7%). Cytological endometritis at 15 DIM was associated with decreased DMI from 4 wk prepartum (1.97 ± 0.5 kg of DM/d less) until 4 wk postpartum (3.01 ± 0.5 kg of DM/d less), and a tendency for decreased milk yield from 3-5 wk postpartum. Cytological endometritis at 30 DIM was only associated with DMI as a percentage of BW, but it was not associated with milk yield. Additionally, increase in the vaginal discharge score (evaluated using Metricheck) was associated to decrease in up to 2.26 kg/d in milk yield. Supporting the notion of ovarian function being associated with uterine inflammatory status, cows in HIGH15 and HIGH30 ovulated on average 3 days before cows in LOW15 and LOW30, respectively. Additionally, increased units of vaginal discharge score and increased percentage units of uterine PMN were linearly associated with decreased milk yield. Taken together, these results suggest that uterine health diagnostics at an earlier stage may demand nutritional adjustments to help prevent the negative impact of cytological endometritis on cows’ performance. In conclusion, feeding RPL and RPM during the transition period has beneficial impacts related to uterine health. Both RPM and RPL modulated postpartum uterine expression of genes involved with inflammatory and metabolic processes. Additionally, feeding RPL decreased the percentage of PMN in the uterus at 15 and 28 DIM, although not changing days to first ovulation. Moreover, increasing Lys supply prepartum increased placental expression of genes involved in glucose uptake and metabolism, and increased the expression of transcripts and proteins involved in placental metabolic activity. Lastly, DMI in the transition period is associated with cytological endometritis, and cytological endometritis at 15 DIM and increased vaginal discharge scores are associated with decreased milk yield.

Graduation Semester

2022-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2022 Anne Guadagnin

Owning Collections