Plasma Prostaglandin and Cytokine Concentrations in Periparturient Holstein Cows Fed Diets Enriched in Saturated or Trans Fatty Acids

Abstract

After parturition, immune functions such as lymphocyte response to mitogens and production of antibodies are depressed in dairy cows. Dietary regimens that improve the immune function of dairy cows after calving may improve uterine health and lead to earlier breeding after parturition. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of feeding a calcium salt of trans isomers of fatty acids (tFA) to periparturient Holstein cows on plasma biomarkers of inflammation. Dietary treatments were initiated approximately 28 d before expected calving date and continued through d 21 postpartum. Prepartum and postpartum diets were formulated to be isolipidic, containing 1.5% saturated fats (n = 15) or 1.8% tFA (n = 15). Multiparous cows were heavier at calving (+32%) and produced more milk (+17%) than primiparous cows. Periparturient tFA supplementation increased plasma PGF(2alpha) metabolite concentration in multiparous cows, but not in primiparous cows. Concentrations of prostaglandin E(2), tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-4 in plasma did not differ between diets and parities. Results raise the possibility that peripartum tFA supplementation may affect uterine health and reproductive efficiency of early lactation dairy cows through alteration of peripheral PGF(2alpha) concentration.

Supplementation with Calcium Salts of Linoleic and trans‐Octadecenoic Acids Improves Fertility of Lactating Dairy Cows

“…2002). Cows fed LTFA tended to have less complicated cases of metritis (Table 2), which is possibly associated with improved defence against bacterial infection and reduction of pyrexia in those cows, as suggested by others (Rodriguez‐Sallaberry et al. 2007).…”

“…2006b). Furthermore, some have suggested that trans ‐octadecenoic fatty acids might influence uterine health and reproductive efficiency of early lactation dairy cows by altering prostaglandin release by the uterus (Rodriguez‐Sallaberry et al. 2007).…”

“…2002). Feeding a source of unsaturated FA to transition cows increased PGFM concentrations in plasma and the increase was attributed to the high content of trans ‐octadecenoic fatty acids (Rodriguez‐Sallaberry et al. 2007).…”

“…Incorporation of PUFA in endometrial cells can impact synthesis of prostaglandins (Mattos et al 2004) and alter uterine gene expression (Bilby et al 2006b). Furthermore, some have suggested that trans-octadecenoic fatty acids might influence uterine health and reproductive efficiency of early lactation dairy cows by altering prostaglandin release by the uterus (Rodriguez- Sallaberry et al 2007).…”

Acute phase response in lactating dairy cows during hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemic and hyperinsulinemic euglycaemic clamps and after intramammaryLPSchallenge

“…The plasma concentrations of IL‐6 and TNF‐ α in this study were similar to previous measurements in dairy cows (Ishikawa et al., ; Rodriguez‐Sallaberry et al., ; Kasimanickam et al., ; Jahan et al., ; Trevisi et al., ). Nevertheless, the variation of PIC was unexpected at the end of the clamps because generally changes in these mediators are considered to occur quickly after the induction of their release and are short‐lived.…”