Adrenal responsiveness to a low-dose ACTH challenge in early and late lactating dairy cows

Trevisi, Erminio; Lombardelli, Rosanna; Minuti, Andrea; Bertoni, Giuseppe

doi:10.4081/ijas.2009.s2.661

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Others have demonstrated no difference in basal plasma glucocorticoids after parturition and in early lactation compared with the nonlactating and pregnant dairy cow (Kejela et al, 1978) or throughout the stages of lactation and pregnancy (Shayanfar et al, 1975). Conversely, Trevisi et al (2009) demonstrated a greater basal cortisol concentrations in early compared with mid-and late-lactation cows, whereas the rise of cortisol in response to ACTH was greater in mid and late lactation. Our results are consistent with the adrenal cortex being more responsive during midlactation compared with the dry period, with no change in sensitivity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of dairy cows with divergent residual feed intake as calves to metabolic challenges during midlactation and the nonlactating period

DiGiacomo

Norris

Dunshea

et al. 2018

Journal of Dairy Science

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Residual feed intake (RFI) is defined as the difference between the actual and expected feed intake required to support animal maintenance and growth. Thus, a cow with a low RFI can obtain nutrients for maintenance and growth from a reduced amount of feed compared with a cow with a high RFI. Variation in RFI is underpinned by a combination of factors, including genetics, metabolism, thermoregulation and body composition; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness is also a possible contributor. Responses to 3 metabolic challenges were measured in lactating and nonlactating dairy cattle. Sixteen Holstein Friesian cows with phenotypic RFI measurements that were obtained during the growth period (188-220 d old) were grouped as either low-calfhood RFI (n = 8) or high-calfhood RFI (n = 8). An ACTH (2 µg/kg of body weight), insulin (0.12 U/kg), and epinephrine (a low dose of 0.1 µg/kg and a high dose of 1.6 µg/kg of epinephrine) challenge were each conducted during both midlactation (122 ± 23.4 d in milk) and the nonlactating period (dry period; approximately 38 d after cessation of milking). Cows were housed in metabolism stalls for the challenges and were fed a diet of alfalfa cubes ad libitum for at least 10 d before the experiment (lactating cows also were offered a total of 6 kg of dry matter/d of crushed wheat grain plus minerals fed as 3 kg of dry matter at each milking) and were fasted for 12 h before the challenges. The efficiency of conversion of feed into milk (the ratio of feed consumed to milk produced over the 7 d before the experiment) during midlactation was better (lower) in low-calfhood RFI cows, although dry matter intake did not differ between RFI groups. Low-calfhood RFI cows exhibited a lower plasma cortisol response to the ACTH challenge than high-calfhood RFI cows, particularly in midlactation (-15%). The low-calfhood RFI cows had a greater plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 response to the insulin challenge and plasma fatty acid response to epinephrine compared with the high-calfhood RFI cows. These data suggest that high-calfhood RFI cows exhibit a more responsive HPA axis. As divergence in RFI measured during growth is retained (although reduced) during lactation, it is possible that energy is used to respond to HPA axis activation at the expense of production in high-calfhood RFI dairy cattle during lactation and contributes to a decrease in overall feed use efficiency.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses of dairy cows with divergent residual feed intake as calves to metabolic challenges during midlactation and the nonlactating period

DiGiacomo

Norris

Dunshea

et al. 2018

Journal of Dairy Science

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“…Most articles on dairy ruminants study the association of plasma cortisol levels with different factors that cause stress in animals, including climatic conditions (Olsson and Dahlborn, 1989;Gudev et al, 2005), management techniques, such as type of food (Marsico et al, 2009), type of housing (Olmos et al, 2009), transport (Canaes et al, 2009), mechanical milking (Negrão et al, 2004), and offspring suckling (Negrão, 2008), and animal-related factors such as mammary gland health status (Fox et al, 1981;Hockett et al, 2000;Decarvalho et al, 2009), lactation stage (Trevisi et al, 2009), breed (Negrão, 2008), parity number (Van Reenen et al, 2002), and milk yield (Sevi et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in milk cortisol during lactation in Murciano-Granadina goats

Díaz

Alejandro

Romero

et al. 2013

Journal of Dairy Science

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Fifty-seven goats were included in an experiment designed to study the effect of lactation stage, parity number, and mammary gland health status on milk cortisol concentration as a method to assess the welfare of Murciano-Granadina goats. The relationships of milk cortisol concentration with different production parameters (milk yield, milk composition, and mechanical milking ability: milk fractioning during milking and milking time) were also studied. The experiment lasted 8 mo and monthly samplings were carried out to determine total milk yield (MY), fractioning during milking (machine milk, MM; machine stripping milk, MSM), and milking time (MT), and a sample was taken from the total milk yield to determine milk cortisol concentration, somatic cell count, and milk composition (fat, protein, and lactose). To determine the infection status of the gland, an aseptic sample was taken for bacteriological analysis before each monthly sampling. Third-parity goats presented higher concentrations of milk cortisol than those of 1, 2, or ≥ 4 parities. Intramammary infection had no effect on milk cortisol concentration, and somatic cell count did not correlate with cortisol concentration. Cortisol presented a significant correlation with MY and MM, but showed no significant correlation with MSM, MT, or milk composition parameters. Variations in milk cortisol concentration in goats may be associated with different physiological factors in the animal (e.g., milk production level, lactation stage, and parity number) and therefore need not always indicate stress for the animal.

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“…This discomfort among the cows was indicated by the fact that the cows were dirtier, particularly in the udder area, because they lay down in the pasture, which was confirmed by the higher SCC in the same group of cows. Consistent with this claim, Díaz et al [ 50 ] listed various factors that can alter plasma cortisol levels, including but not limited to the management system, such as the type of housing [ 54 ] and transport [ 55 ], lactation stage [ 56 ], and milk yield [ 57 ]. Another factor could be the lower feed intake in the 24 hG group compared with the 12 hG group, which can be considered a source of stress, as stated by Gellrich et al [ 51 ] and Fisher et al [ 52 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Daytime Grazing in Mountainous Areas Increases Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Decreases Cortisol in the Milk of Holstein Dairy Cows

Lee

Kim

et al. 2021

Animals

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The effects of grazing lactating cows in mountainous areas for 12 and 24 h compared with the confined indoor system were evaluated by examining the overall milk fatty acid and cortisol. Twenty-one dairy cows were allocated to three treatment groups: (1) control (confined management system in a free-stall barn; TMR based), (2) grazing for 12 h (12 hG; TMR plus grazing pasture), and (3) grazing for 24 h (24 hG; pasture-based feeding system). Dry matter intake was higher in the control and 12 hG groups than in the 24 hG group. The yields of total milk and the 3.5% fat-corrected milk were the lowest in the 24 hG group. Milk fat was the highest in the 24 hG group and higher in 12 hG compared with the control group. Milk protein and lactose levels were the highest in the 12 hG group. The highest somatic cell count was observed in the 24 hG group. The saturated fatty acid levels were higher in the control group compared with the 12 hG and 24 hG groups. There was no difference in overall mono-unsaturated fatty acids between 12 hG and 24 hG groups. Poly-unsaturated fatty acids were higher in the 12 hG group compared with the control and 24 hG groups. There was no difference in omega-6 (ω-6) fatty acids among the groups, and omega-3 fatty acids were higher in the 12 hG group than in the control group. Milk cortisol was the highest in the 24 hG group and higher in the control group compared with the 12 hG group. Taken together, grazing for 12 h is advisable for farms that have access to mountainous areas to improve the milk fatty acid profile and decrease the stress levels in high-yielding Holstein lactating cows.

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Adrenal responsiveness to a low-dose ACTH challenge in early and late lactating dairy cows

Cited by 7 publications

References 4 publications

Responses of dairy cows with divergent residual feed intake as calves to metabolic challenges during midlactation and the nonlactating period

Responses of dairy cows with divergent residual feed intake as calves to metabolic challenges during midlactation and the nonlactating period

Variation in milk cortisol during lactation in Murciano-Granadina goats

Daytime Grazing in Mountainous Areas Increases Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Decreases Cortisol in the Milk of Holstein Dairy Cows

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