Effects of supplemental chromium propionate and rumen-protected amino acids on nutrient metabolism, neutrophil activation, and adipocyte size in dairy cows during peak lactation

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of chromium propionate (CrPr), rumen-protected lysine and methionine (RPLM), or both on metabolism, neutrophil function, and adipocyte size in lactating dairy cows (38 ± 15 d in milk). Forty-eight individually fed Holstein cows (21 primiparous, 27 multiparous) were stratified by calving date in 12 blocks and randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments within block. Treatments were control, CrPr (8 mg/d of Cr, KemTRACE brand chromium propionate 0.04%, Kemin Industries Inc., Des Moines, IA), RPLM (10 g/d lysine and 5 g/d methionine intestinally available, from LysiPEARL and MetiPEARL, Kemin Industries Inc.), or CrPr plus RPLM. Treatments were fed for 35 d; blood plasma samples were collected ond 21 and 35 of treatment, and blood neutrophils were isolated from 24 cows for analysis of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) transcript abundance in the basal state and after 12h of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation. Tailhead subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were collected ond 35 for measurement of adipocyte size. Plasma glucose, nonesterified fatty acids, and glucagon concentrations were unaffected by treatments, whereas plasma insulin concentration was increased by RPLM. Basal TNFα transcript abundance in neutrophils was not affected by treatment, but basal IL-1β transcript abundance was decreased by RPLM and tended to be increased by CrPr. After LPS activation, CrPr increased neutrophil TNFα transcript abundance. In addition, RPLM×parity interactions were detected for both TNFα and IL-1β abundance after LPS activation, reflecting enhanced responses in primiparous cows and attenuated responses in multiparous cows supplemented with RPLM. Adipocyte size was not affected by treatment. Supplemental CrPr and RPLM had minimal effects on metabolism when fed for 35 d near peak lactation but may modulate innate immune function in lactating dairy cows.

Effect of chromium on bioenergetics and leukocyte dynamics following immunoactivation in lactating Holstein cows

“…Although not always consistent (Chang et al, 1996;Kegley et al, 1997b), previous studies have reported improved immune function (e.g., phagocytosis, blastogenic response, antibody production) of activated leukocytes when animals were supplemented with Cr (Moonsie-Shageer and Mowat, 1993;Chang et al, 1996;Lee et al, 2000). Increased cytokine production with Cr supplementation has also been observed in mice, steers, and lactating cows (Burdick et al, 2012;Yuan et al, 2014;Jin et al, 2016). Herein we observed increased circulating neutrophil counts in LPS-administered cows supplemented with Cr, and this agrees with others (Kafilzadeh et al, 2012;Yasui et al, 2014;Mayorga et al, 2016).…”

Short communication: Effects of an immunomodulatory feed additive on phagocytic capacity of neutrophils and relative gene expression in circulating white blood cells of transition Holstein cows

“…As the first line of defense, neutrophils are crucial effector cells in immune surveillance and protection against invading pathogens (Burton and Erskine, 2003). Neutrophil trafficking, phagocytosis, and killing abilities are impaired by many of the physiological changes associated with parturition, which contributes to immunosuppression (Kulberg et al, 2002;Yuan et al, 2014). Diminished immunocompetence not only increases the number of new infections leading to disease, but may easily result in a subclinical disease developing into a clinical one (Kimura et al, 1999).…”

Chromium in performance and metabolism of dairy cows

“…However, it was reported that the concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon, betahydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and NEFA were not affected by Cr supplementation in multiparous dairy cows during the prepartum period (Yasui et al, 1996;Smith et al ., 2008). Similarly, Yuan et al (2014) studied the effect of Cr supplementation on some serum parameters in primiparous and multiparous dairy cows in mid-lactation, reported that the concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon and NEFA were not affected by Cr supplementation.…”

“…Diets for dairy cows can contain sufficient concentrations of Cr to meet the demands during a normal production period, but can become deficient in critical situations such as, late pregnancy, delivery, early lactation, weaning and transport (Sano et al, 1991;Mousaie et al, 2014;Vargas-Rodriguez et al, 2014;Yuan et al, 2014).…”