Predictive value of prepartum serum metabolites for incidence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in grazing primiparous Holstein cows

Abstract

The aim of this study was to measure changes in biochemical markers in the peripartum period of primiparous Holstein cows diagnosed with subclinical and clinical mastitis. In this study, 37 dairy cows were monitored daily during milking until 60 days postpartum and were categorized according to the occurrence of clinical mastitis (group mastitis (GM), n = 9) or subclinical mastitis (group subclinical mastitis (GSUB), n = 10) or absence of symptoms (control group (CG), n = 18). Blood samples were collected weekly from -30 to 60 days from calving. Samples were grouped for prepartum (-30 to 0 days from calving), early postpartum (0 to 30 days from calving), and late postpartum (30 to 60 days from calving) periods. Prepartum serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration was higher in GM than in CG (P < 0.01). In addition, CG had higher prepartum serum glucose concentration than GM (P = 0.03). In the early postpartum period, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity was lower in CG than in GSUB (P < 0.05), and in the late postpartum period, AST activity was lower in CG than GSUB and GM (P = 0.01). Somatic cell count was higher during the early and late postpartum periods for GM and GSUB when compared to CG (P < 0.01). In this study, primiparous cows with low glucose and higher NEFA in the prepartum were more susceptible for mastitis in the early postpartum, probably due to low immune function associated to a more negative energy balance. In sum, increased prepartum serum NEFA concentration and decreased glucose in primiparous cows were associated with clinical mastitis incidence in the postpartum period.

Association of dry matter intake and energy balance prepartum and postpartum with health disorders postpartum: Part II. Ketosis and clinical mastitis

“…Furthermore, cows that develop clinical mastitis postpartum have been shown to have decreased glucose and increased NEFA and BHB concentrations prepartum (Moyes et al, 2009;Schwegler et al, 2013), which indicates a decreased DMI%BW and EB prepartum; however, to our knowledge, this is the first time that prepartum DMI%BW and EB were compared between cows that did and did not develop clinical mastitis. Previous research has shown that hyperketonemia impairs phagocytic, chemotactic, and killing ability of neutrophils and that immunosuppression peripartum is a predisposing factor for mastitis postpartum (Suriyasathaporn et al, 1999).…”

“…This is in agreement with the results from Hammon et al (2006), who showed that the killing ability of neutrophils was negatively correlated with NEFA concentrations in the week of calving. In addition, clinical mastitis postpartum has been linked to decreased glucose and increased NEFA and BHB concentrations prepartum (Jánosi et al, 2003;Moyes et al, 2009;Schwegler et al, 2013).…”

Differential free fatty acid receptor-1 (FFAR1/GPR40) signalling is associated with gene expression or gelatinase granule release in bovine neutrophils

“…4,5 Long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) are increased in the plasma in cows around partum, a time where these animals are more susceptible to acquiring infectious diseases, and an association between LCFA and infectious disease incidence has been suggested. 6,7 In bovine neutrophils, the unsaturated fatty acids oleic (OLA) and linoleic (LA) acid increase ROS production, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 release, and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and IL-8 mRNA levels. [8][9][10] OLA and LA-induced ROS and MMP-9 release are mediated through free fatty acid receptor-1 (FFAR1/ GPR40).…”

Changes in clinical and blood lipid metabolism parameters in Holstein dairy cattle during the transition period

“…These changes were not reported between control and the diseased cows at post-fresh period. Some other literature reports revealed that glucose concentration is reduced and NEFA concentration is increased during the prepartum period in primiparous cows that developed clinical mastitis in the postpartum period compared to healthy cows (Schwegler et al, 2013). Moyes et al (2009) observed that a higher prepartum glucose concentration is associated with the occurrence of postpartum diseases.…”

“…Elevated NEFA concentration in plasma is a prerequisite for development of hepatic lipidosis that occurs in DA cows (Rehage et al, 1996). Schwegler et al (2013) reported a reduced serum glucose concentration and increased serum NEFA concentration during the prepartum period in primiparous cows that developed clinical mastitis in the postpartum period compared to healthy cows. Cameron et al (1998) stated that NEB is expected in milking cows, so blood NEFA levels are high after calving and can be hardly evaluated.…”