Effects of administration of rumen protected choline In dairy cows during transition period
Transition period is the most critical phase in dairy cow career and any potential metabolic and inflammatory problems can compromise the future lactation. Choline is a methyl groups donor, consequently it plays an important role in many pathways which are essential for cellular activity. Choline can interact with the methionine cycle, this essential amino acid can be spared in order to obtain an adequate glutathione production.
| RESPONSABLE OF PROJECT: | Prof. Erminio Trevisi |
|---|---|
| RESPONSABLE OF PROCEDURES: | Dott. Fiorenzo Piccioli Cappelli |
| COLLABORATION: | Victor Sáinz de la Maza-Escolà, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università di Bologna |
| SPONSOR: | VETAGRO SRL (www.vetagro.com) |
| FURTHER INFORMATION: | ARTICLE "Colina rumino-protetta durante il periodo di transizione: due prodotti commerciali a confronto" (click here) |
| DURATION: | 6 months (01/09/2021 --> 30/06/2022) |
Prof. Erminio Trevisi
President, Cerzoo Srl - Research Center for livestock and environment
Full Professor in Animal Science, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Piacenza and Cremona
Dott. Fiorenzo Piccioli Cappelli
Researcher, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore, Piacenza and Cremona
Background
Transition period is the most critical phase in dairy cow career and any potential metabolic and inflammatory problems can compromise the future lactation. Choline is a methyl groups donor, consequently it plays an important role in many pathways which are essential for cellular activity. Choline can interact with the methionine cycle, this essential amino acid can be spared in order to obtain an adequate glutathione production.
The involvement of choline in the methionine cycle has an influence on DNA methylation. Choline can improve the metabolism in the liver of NEFA deriving from lipolysis, and it can prevent fatty liver disease. The role of choline in the fatty acids metabolism is linked to the phosphatidylcholine synthesis, which is important for lipoprotein production.
The only way to guarantee the activity of choline is the administration of rumen protected choline, in order to protect the nutrient from microbial degradation.
Aim
Evaluate the efficacy of two supplements of choline with different rumen protection to dairy cows during transition period.
In the study, 24 multiparous cows in the experimental farm of CERZOO srl have been enrolled. Cows have been divided in three groups that were homogeneous in terms of milk yield and state of pregnancy:
- control (CTR; standard diet)
- Choline 1 (CTR diet added with rumen protected choline P1)
- Choline 2 (CTR diet added rumen protected choline P2)
Bovines have been monitored during transition period, and information about dry matter intake, ruminal and motor activity, BCS, immunometabolic profile, quality and quantity of milk and colostrum have been collected. Supplements have been provided by VETAGRO srl and they have been mixed with unifeed, from 21 days before calving to 35 days post calving.
Lactation phase
Transition period
Checks
- Chemical and nutritional composition of diets;
- Health and welfare status;
- Time of resting;
- BCS and rectal temperature;
- Dry matter intake and daily rumination activity;
- Daily body weight;
- Colostrum yield and immunoglobulin content, calf body weight after birth;
- Milk yield, fat, lactose and protein content, electric conductivity (AFILAB system), coagulation attitude, urea, somatic cells (FTIR);
- Blood samples in order to evaluate hematocrit, glucose, NEFA, BHB, cholesterol, (total, LDL, HDL), triglycerides, urea, creatinine, albumin, globulin, total protein, GOT, GGT, paraoxonase, alkaline phosphatase, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, myeloperoxidase, Ca, Mg, P, Zn, reactive oxygen metabolites, Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), total antioxidant (FRAP), thiol groups (SpH).
Results
Cows have been fed ad libitum during the experiment, but the dry matter intake before calving was 1,4 kg/day lower in cows supplemented with choline. Seeing as how there were no differences in the performance before calving, treated animals had a higher energetic efficiency during this phase.
During transition period any difference has been observed for hematic concentration of glucose, NEFA, β-hydroxybutyrate and triglycerides. However, the cows of control group had lower concentration of hematic calcium, and higher concentration of ceruloplasmin than groups treated with choline, indicating the presence of a more marked inflammatory status.
The interaction treatment x time was significative for milk production, with the administration of choline the milk production and fat content grew during the period of investigation. With P1 the increase of the solid content in milk has been numerically evident.
There was also a higher energy efficiency in treated cows after calving, but only with P1 (1,23 kg of milk for kg of dry matter intake), compared to P2 (1,17) and CTR (1,13). Also, nitrogen efficiency was better for cows treated with P1 (0,37% of dietary nitrogen transferred in milk, instead of 0,34% observed in P2 and CTR groups).
These results suggest that the major availability of choline influenced the use of energy and diet nutrients. This effect remained also after the end of the administration of choline, particularly in cows that received P1. Moreover, the use of rumen protected choline during the transition period contributes to the resolution of the inflammatory process, and it brings to an improvement of the animal welfare and consequently of performance at the beginning of the lactation.
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