Invited Review: New Perspectives on the Roles of Nutrition and Metabolic Priorities in the Subfertility of High-Producing Dairy Cows

The objective was to study milk production, body reserve mobilization, metabolic and hormonal profiles, and ovarian cyclicity of Holstein-Friesian (HOLS) and Montbéliarde (MONT) cows under two low-input dairy production systems with seasonal spring calving: an extensive (EXT; 12 HOLS and 12 MONT) based on permanent diversified grasslands and zero concentrate, and a semi-extensive (SEMI; 12 HOLS and 10 MONT) based on established temporary grasslands and up to 4 kg/day of concentrate. Individual measurements were performed between −4 and 12 weeks of lactation. Cows in EXT secreted less milk (22.1 v. 24.4 kg/day), protein (660 v. 755 g/day) and energy (67.7 v. 74.4 MJ/day), had greater plasma β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) (0.97 v. 0.69 mM), lower glucose (59.0 v. 62.0 mg/dl) and IGF-1 (62 v. 71 ng/ml), lower milk fat concentration in fatty acids originating from de novo synthesis (e.g. ∑ 10:0 to 15:0) and greater concentration of those derived in part from mobilization of fat reserves (e.g. 18:0 and ∑ > C16), and showed greater frequency of abnormal ovarian cycles compared with SEMI. Across production systems, HOLS produced more milk (24.7 v. 21.8 kg/day), protein (738 v. 674 g/day) and fat (939 v. 819 g/day), secreted more energy (75.1 v. 67.0 MJ/day), lost more body condition score (BCS) (1.41 v. 1.03) and reached a lower BCS nadir (1.12 v. 1.43), had greater plasma BHBA (0.91 v. 0.75 mM), lower insulin (15.9 v. 17.2 µIU/ml) and tended to have lower glucose (59.6 v. 61.4 mg/dl), had lower milk fat concentration in ∑ 10:0 to 15:0, tended to have higher ∑ > C16 and tended to show more abnormal estrous cycles compared with MONT. Ultrasound measurements did not differentiate fat mobilization and were confounded by breed differences of skin thickness. The greater nutrient allowance in SEMI improved indicators of physiological status and ovarian function during early lactation compared with EXT, but did not attenuate body reserve mobilization because cows prioritized milk secretion. HOLS secreted more nutrients than MONT but lost more BCS, which negatively affected nutritional balance and tended to affect ovarian cyclicity during early lactation. Breed by system interactions were not observed except for a few variables.

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Physiological adaptations and ovarian cyclicity of Holstein and Montbéliarde cows under two low-input production systems

Pires¹,

Chilliard²,

Delavaud³

et al. 2015

“…Altered energy metabolism in high milk yielding cows can cause decreased levels of E2 and inhibit estrous behavior (Lopez et al, 2004). Cows selected for high milk yield are genetically induced to a more negative energy balance (Veerkamp et al, 2003) as they spend a relatively large proportion of the available nutrients on milk production, which can cause fertility problems during a period of negative energy balance (Chagas et al, 2007). One possible route by which metabolic stress can inhibit estrous behavior is via insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).…”

Section: Metabolic Disturbancesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IGF-1 receptor signaling in the brain (Velazquez et al, 2008) is needed for the positive effect of E2 on the release of LH and for normal E2 priming of estrous behavior (Etgen et al, 2006;Mendez et al, 2006). Furthermore, concentrations of other metabolic factors that are known to affect dairy cow fertility, for example, insulin, leptin and growth hormone, interact with IGF-1 levels (Diskin et al, 2003;Chagas et al, 2007).…”

Section: Metabolic Disturbancesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mechanisms by which selection for higher milk yield can result in poorer fertility are not totally elucidated, but one cause is likely to be metabolic stress (Veerkamp et al, 2003). As the reproductive and somatotropic axes interact at several levels in the hypothalamus (Chagas et al, 2007), it is not surprising to find relationships between energy balance and fertility parameters. Subfertility has negative implications for dairy farm profitability, sustainability of animal production and animal welfare, as it takes more time and effort to get cows to be pregnant.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Estrous behavior in dairy cows: identification of underlying mechanisms and gene functions

Bôer

Veerkamp

Beerda

et al. 2010

Selection in dairy cattle for a higher milk yield has coincided with declined fertility. One of the factors is reduced expression of estrous behavior. Changes in systems that regulate the estrous behavior could be manifested by altered gene expression. This literature review describes the current knowledge on mechanisms and genes involved in the regulation of estrous behavior. The endocrinological regulation of the estrous cycle in dairy cows is well described. Estradiol (E2) is assumed to be the key regulator that synchronizes endocrine and behavioral events. Other pivotal hormones are, for example, progesterone, gonadotropin releasing hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. Interactions between the latter and E2 may play a role in the unfavorable effects of milk yield-related metabolic stress on fertility in high milk-producing dairy cows. However, a clear understanding of how endocrine mechanisms are tied to estrous behavior in cows is only starting to emerge. Recent studies on gene expression and signaling pathways in rodents and other animals contribute to our understanding of genes and mechanisms involved in estrous behavior. Studies in rodents, for example, show that estrogen-induced gene expression in specific brain areas such as the hypothalamus play an important role. Through these estrogen-induced gene expressions, E2 alters the functioning of neuronal networks that underlie estrous behavior, by affecting dendritic connections between cells, receptor populations and neurotransmitter releases. To improve the understanding of complex biological networks, like estrus regulation, and to deal with the increasing amount of genomic information that becomes available, mathematical models can be helpful. Systems biology combines physiological and genomic data with mathematical modeling. Possible applications of systems biology approaches in the field of female fertility and estrous behavior are discussed.

“…Ovarian activity is under the control of gonadotrophins secreted by the pituitary gland while metabolites, such as glucose and non-esterified fatty acids, and hormones, such as insulin and leptin, may modulate gonadotrophin secretion (Robinson, 1990;Armstrong et al, 2003;Webb et al, 2004). However, there is increasing evidence that nutrition may have a direct effect on the developing follicle-enclosed oocyte through changes in metabolite and/or hormone concentrations (Chagas et al, 2007). Plane of nutrition has been shown to affect the developmental competence of oocytes and this effect is dependent on the fatness of the donor animal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feeding frequency has diet-dependent effects on plasma hormone concentrations but does not affect oocyte quality in dairy heifers fed fibre- or starch-based diets

Rooke¹,

Ainslie²,

Watt³

et al. 2008

Self Cite

The post-fertilisation developmental capacity of bovine oocytes recovered by ultrasound guided transvaginal follicular aspiration (ovum pick-up, OPU) is influenced by diet-induced changes in hormone and metabolite concentrations. The objectives of this experiment were first to determine whether post-prandial changes in hormone concentrations, induced by changing the frequency of feeding, influenced oocyte quality and second whether changes in plasma glucagon concentration were associated with oocyte quality. Using a 2 3 2 factorial design, Holstein heifers (six per treatment) were fed either fibre-or starch-based diets containing either 189 or 478 g starch/kg dry matter. The diets were offered in either two or four equal meals per day and supplied twice the maintenance energy requirement. Blood samples were obtained both at weekly intervals (three samples per heifer, collected before feeding) during the experiment and throughout an entire 24-h period (15 or 17 samples per heifer for twice or four times daily-fed heifers, respectively). Each heifer underwent six sessions of OPU (twice weekly) beginning 25 days after introduction of the diets. Oocyte quality was assessed by development to the blastocyst stage in synthetic oviductal fluid following in vitro fertilisation. Mean weekly plasma insulin concentrations did not differ between diets, but plasma glucagon concentrations were greatest when heifers were fed the starch-based diet twice daily compared with the other diets. When heifers were offered four meals per day, there were no meal-related changes in hormone concentrations. However, when heifers were offered two meals per day, plasma insulin concentration increased after feeding the starch-based, but not the fibre-based diet. Plasma glucagon concentration increased after meals when heifers were fed twice daily and the increase was substantially greater when the starch-based diet was fed. Treatments did not influence (overall mean with mean 6 s.e.) ovarian follicle size distribution or oocyte recovery by OPU (6.2 6 0.4 per heifer), the proportion of oocytes that cleaved following insemination (0.57 6 0.030) or blastocyst yield (0.27 6 0.027 of oocytes cleaved). In conclusion, by feeding diets differing in carbohydrate source at different frequencies of feeding, meal-related changes in plasma hormone profiles were altered significantly, but oocyte quality was not affected. Therefore effects of diet on oocyte quality appear not to be mediated by meal-related fluctuations in hormone concentrations.