ABSTRACT: Comparative study of serum lipidomics, and milk microbiota and metabolomics in long-lived dairy cows with different persistent production capacities
Project description:<p>Background</p><p>Persistent productivity and productive lifespan determine the lifetime output of dairy cows and influence overall herd profitability. The composition and metabolic activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota of dairy cows influence persistent productivity. However, the processes by which host-microbiome crosstalk drives dairy cow persistent productivity remain unclear. Therefore, we performed an integrative comparative analysis of rumen and rectum metagenomes and metabolomes, together with serum and milk metabolomes, in long-lived dairy cows that exhibited divergent persistent productivity levels to elucidate the potential mechanisms that underpin modulation of persistent productivity by the rumen and rectum microbiota.</p><p> </p><p>Results</p><p>Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), and high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C) levels in long-lived dairy cows were positively correlated with milk yield (MY) and elevated in long-lived high-yielding (LH) dairy cows, whereas insulin (INS) and glucagon (GCG) were negatively correlated with MY and higher in long-lived low-yielding (LL) dairy cows. Rumen propionate level was elevated in LH group, but rectum fermentation parameters and rumen and rectum microbiota diversity showed no significant differences between LH and LL cows. The rumen microbiome, in LH cows upregulated pathways involved in amino acid, cofactor, and vitamin metabolism. LH cows’ rumen and rectum microbial interaction networks exhibited dependence on key nodes and streamlined inter-node connectivity that enhanced local functional synergy, with robustness, cohesion, and vulnerability levels similar to LL cows. The rumen Acidaminococcaceae bacterium and rectum Parabacteroides sp. exerted a positive effect on MY via microbiota-host co-metabolism of the purine metabolites guanosine and D-ribose-1-phosphate. Furthermore, the specific rumen microbiome module enhanced the levels of circulating eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), thereby promoting the synthesis of Pe(20:5/0:0) in milk, which positively impacted MY.</p><p> </p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The rumen and rectum microbiota positively influence production levels of long-lived dairy cows via microbiota and host co-metabolites of purine metabolites. Additionally, rumen microbiota improves production levels by enhancing host synthesis of EPA through the modulation of α-linolenic acid metabolism. The study reveals the potential role of rumen and rectum microbiota in regulating productivity of cows with sustained production capacity, providing insights for nutritional management strategies aimed at improving the health status and persistent production capacity of dairy cows.</p>
Project description:<p>Background</p><p>Persistent productivity and productive lifespan determine the lifetime output of dairy cows and influence overall herd profitability. The composition and metabolic activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota of dairy cows influence persistent productivity. However, the processes by which host-microbiome crosstalk drives dairy cow persistent productivity remain unclear. Therefore, we performed an integrative comparative analysis of rumen and rectum metagenomes and metabolomes, together with serum and milk metabolomes, in long-lived dairy cows that exhibited divergent persistent productivity levels to elucidate the potential mechanisms that underpin modulation of persistent productivity by the rumen and rectum microbiota.</p><p><br></p><p>Results</p><p>Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), and high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and LDL-C) levels in long-lived dairy cows were positively correlated with milk yield (MY) and elevated in long-lived high-yielding (LH) dairy cows, whereas insulin (INS) and glucagon (GCG) were negatively correlated with MY and higher in long-lived low-yielding (LL) dairy cows. Rumen propionate level was elevated in LH group, but rectum fermentation parameters and rumen and rectum microbiota diversity showed no significant differences between LH and LL cows. The rumen microbiome, in LH cows upregulated pathways involved in amino acid, cofactor, and vitamin metabolism. LH cows’ rumen and rectum microbial interaction networks exhibited dependence on key nodes and streamlined inter-node connectivity that enhanced local functional synergy, with robustness, cohesion, and vulnerability levels similar to LL cows. The rumen Acidaminococcaceae bacterium and rectum Parabacteroides sp. exerted a positive effect on MY via microbiota-host co-metabolism of the purine metabolites guanosine and D-ribose-1-phosphate. Furthermore, the specific rumen microbiome module enhanced the levels of circulating eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), thereby promoting the synthesis of Pe(20:5/0:0) in milk, which positively impacted MY.</p><p><br></p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The rumen and rectum microbiota positively influence production levels of long-lived dairy cows via microbiota and host co-metabolites of purine metabolites. Additionally, rumen microbiota improves production levels by enhancing host synthesis of EPA through the modulation of α-linolenic acid metabolism. The study reveals the potential role of rumen and rectum microbiota in regulating productivity of cows with sustained production capacity, providing insights for nutritional management strategies aimed at improving the health status and persistent production capacity of dairy cows.</p>
Project description:M. Berg, J. Plöntzke, S. Leonhard-Marek, K.E. Müller & S. Röblitz. A dynamic model to simulate potassium balance in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 100, 12 (2017).
High-performing dairy cows require a particular composition of nutritional ingredients, adapted to their individual requirements and depending on their production status. The optimal dimensioning of minerals in the diet, one being potassium, is indispensable for the prevention of imbalances. Potassium balance in cows is the result of potassium intake, distribution in the organism, and excretion, and it is closely related to glucose and electrolyte metabolism. In this paper, we present a dynamical model for potassium balance in lactating and nonlactating dairy cows based on ordinary differential equations. Parameter values were obtained from clinical trial data and from the literature. To verify the consistency of the model, we present simulation outcomes for 3 different scenarios: potassium balance in (1) nonlactating cows with varying feed intake, (2) nonlactating cows with varying potassium fraction in the diet, and (3) lactating cows with varying milk production levels. The results give insights into the short- and long-term potassium metabolism, providing an important step toward the understanding of the potassium network, the design of prophylactic feed additives, and possible treatment strategies.
Project description:Milk protein is one of the most important economic traits in the dairy industry. Yet, the miRNA gene regulatory network for the synthesis of milk protein in mammary is poorly understood. In this study, the hypothesis was that miRNAs have potential roles in bovine milk protein production. Using miRNA-seq and RNA-seq, we investigated the miRNAs profiles of mammary glands from 12 Chinese Holstein cows with six cows at peak of lactation and six in non-lactating period, from which three cows were in high and three in low milk protein percentage.
Project description:We hypothesized that accumulation of milk would influence gene expression in the mammary gland of lactating dairy cows. To test this hypothesis, we enrolled 4 multiparous Holstein cows (150 M-BM-1 10 DIM) in a half-udder milk stasis experiment. On day 1 of the experiment, cows were milked at 0430 h and at 1430 h, only right udder halves were milked. Mammary biopsies were obtained from both udder halves on day 2 of the experiment at 0500 h, immediately after right udder halves were milked and 12 h since left udder halves had last been milked. Using Affymetrix GeneChipM-BM-. Bovine Genome Arrays, we identified 32 genes that were differentially expressed between left (full) and right (empty) udder halves (fold change > 1.5; P < 0.05). Four of the genes were downregulated in response to milk stasis, whereas 28 were upregulated. Differentially expressed genes were associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, tight junction formation, regulation of blood flow, and apoptosis. In addition, four of the differentially expressed genes had been previously identified as candidates for local regulation of milk production in dairy cows. Expression of two of these candidates, early growth response-1 (EGR-1) and thrombospondin-1 (THBS-1), was validated using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Consistent with microarray results, both genes were upregulated in response to 24-h of milk stasis (P < 0.03). Immunofluorescence was used to localize expression of EGR-1 protein, which was restricted to epithelia and was uniformly distributed. We conclude that accumulation of milk alters gene expression in the bovine mammary gland. In particular, EGR-1 and THBS-1 have emerged as strong candidates for local regulation of milk production in dairy cows. 8 samples from 4 cows
Project description:The severity of negative energy balance (NEB) in high-producing dairy cows has a high incidence among health diseases. The periparturient period is crucial for the health status and reproductive performance of dairy cows. During this period, dairy cows experience a transition from a pregnant, non-lactating state to a non-pregnant, lactating state. At the beginning of lactation, the energy needs for milk production are higher than the available energy consumed from feed intake, resulting in a negative energy balance (NEB)]. While in a NEB, cows mobilise their reserves from adipose tissue, resulting in elevated plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), which are used as a fuel source by peripheral tissues and the mammary gland for milk fat synthesis. Thus, white adipose tissue is one of the main tissue involved in the energy production during this transition period. So the objectives of our study were to dentify mRNA differentially expressed in white adipose before and after calving in dairy cow fed with low (LE) and high (HE) energy diet.
Project description:In this study, samples of 16 dairy cows from a MAP infected farm were used. Serum, milk and fecal samples were collected. Categorizing these cows into two groups based on their MAP infection status different standard methods for detection MAP were applied. Healthy controls showed no positive results in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with serum and milk samples (cattletype MAP Ab, Qiagen, Hilden, Germany; In-direct, IDVet, Grabels, France) and after cultivation of fecal samples on commercial Her-rold´s Egg Yolk Agars (HEYM agar, Becton Dickinson, Heidelberg, Germany) for 12 weeks. Cows with positive results were grouped into MAP infected cows. Specifically, for mass spectrometry analysis serum of seven MAP infected cows and seven healthy controls were used. All animals were from the same farm and were kept under the same environmental conditions. For additional mass spectrometry analysis with a further control group sam-ples of 21 dairy cows from an uninfected farm were examined. All cattle from this farm showed negative results in ELISA with serum and milk samples. Additionally, there was never a positive result in regularly tested fecal samples and sock swab samples of this farm. For verification of differential CTSS expression in Western blot analysis five dairy cows from another infected farm were consultedincluded. MAP status of these cows was analyzed by cultivation of fecal samples on HEYM agar for 12 weeks and ELISA with se-rum samples. In detail, two cattle were categorized into healthy controls and three cattle into MAP infected cows. Withdrawal of bovine venous whole blood and experi-mental protocols were approved by the local authority, Government of Upper Bavaria, permit no. ROB-55.2-2532.Vet_03-17-106.
Project description:Bovine mastitis, the infection of the mammary gland which leads to great health and economic challenges for dairy farmers is accompanied by dramatic changes in the milk proteome. In this study of naturally occurring mastitis not only have the changes in the milk proteome been quantified in subclinical and clinical mastitis but simultaneous changes in the serum proteome have also been characterised and quantified. Milk and serum samples from healthy dairy cows (n=12) were compared to those of cows with subclinical (n=10) and clinical mastitis (n=112) using TMT label-based proteomic approach. The study included the milk and serum samples taken from thirty-two dairy cows ( kept on private farms located in Croatia. All cows were checked by physical examination. Somatic cells count (SCC) and mastitis test in milk samples were performed. According to the results, cows were assigned into three groups: Group I (control, n=10) consisted of healthy cows with SCC below 400,000 cells/ml on the monthly check-up and a negative mastitis test and without any clinical sign of mastitis. Group II (subclinical mastitis, n=12) comprised cows without clinical signs of mastitis but with SCC above 400,000 cells/ml on the monthly basis and a positive mastitis test at the time of sampling. Group III (clinical mastitis, n=10) consisted of cows with clinical signs of mastitis which include changes in milk appearance (flakes and clots in milk), different stages of udder inflammation (hyperemia, edema, pain, udder enlargement and elevated udder temperature) and disturbance of general health (depression, relaxed cold ears, dehydration, elevated body temperature, increased heart and respiratory rate, decreased ruminal contraction and decreased appetite). Blood samples were taken from v. coccygea and centrifuged at 3000 g for 15 min after clotting for two hours at room temperature. Serum samples were stored at -80°C until analysis. Milk samples were taken aseptically before the morning milking. First few streams were discarded. Teat ends were disinfected with cotton swabs soaked with 70% ethanol. Samples were taken into sterile tubes and transported to laboratory on ice within a few hours.
Project description:Heat stress (HS) has become a major challenge in the dairy industry around the world. Although numerous measures have been taken to alleviate the HS impact on milk production, the cellular level response to HS remains unclear in dairy cows. The objective of this study was to dissect functional alterations based on transcriptomic dynamics in the liver of cows under HS. Dairy cows exposed to HS exhibited both decreased feed intake and milk yield. Through liver transcriptomic analysis, differentially expressed genes were identified among three experimental conditions, including heat stress (HS), pair-fed (PF), and thermoneutral (TN) groups. We observed the upregulation of protein folding and inflammation-related genes in the HS group, while the mitochondrial genes were downregulated. Gene functional enrichment also revealed that mitochondria function and oxidative phosphorylation were dysregulated under HS. The liver transcriptome analysis generated a comprehensive gene expression regulation network upon HS in lactating dairy cows. Overall, this study provides novel insights into molecular and metabolic changes of cows conditioned under HS. Our results could facilitate the development of efficient biomarkers to mitigate the negative effect of HS on dairy cow health and productivity.
Project description:We hypothesized that accumulation of milk would influence gene expression in the mammary gland of lactating dairy cows. To test this hypothesis, we enrolled 4 multiparous Holstein cows (150 ± 10 DIM) in a half-udder milk stasis experiment. On day 1 of the experiment, cows were milked at 0430 h and at 1430 h, only right udder halves were milked. Mammary biopsies were obtained from both udder halves on day 2 of the experiment at 0500 h, immediately after right udder halves were milked and 12 h since left udder halves had last been milked. Using Affymetrix GeneChip® Bovine Genome Arrays, we identified 32 genes that were differentially expressed between left (full) and right (empty) udder halves (fold change > 1.5; P < 0.05). Four of the genes were downregulated in response to milk stasis, whereas 28 were upregulated. Differentially expressed genes were associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, tight junction formation, regulation of blood flow, and apoptosis. In addition, four of the differentially expressed genes had been previously identified as candidates for local regulation of milk production in dairy cows. Expression of two of these candidates, early growth response-1 (EGR-1) and thrombospondin-1 (THBS-1), was validated using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Consistent with microarray results, both genes were upregulated in response to 24-h of milk stasis (P < 0.03). Immunofluorescence was used to localize expression of EGR-1 protein, which was restricted to epithelia and was uniformly distributed. We conclude that accumulation of milk alters gene expression in the bovine mammary gland. In particular, EGR-1 and THBS-1 have emerged as strong candidates for local regulation of milk production in dairy cows.