title: Effects of pre- and postfresh transition diets varying in dietary energy density on metabolic status of periparturient dairy cows.
abstract: Effects of dietary energy density during late gestation and early lactation on metabolic status of periparturient cows were studied. Four weeks before expected calving, animals were fed a low (DL; 1.58 Mcal of NEL/kg) or high energy density diet (DH; 1.70 Mcal of NEL/kg). After calving, half of the cows from each prepartum treatment were assigned to a low (L; 1.57 Mcal of NEL/kg) or high energy density diet (H; 1.63 Mcal of NEL/kg) until d 20 postpartum. After d 20, all animals were fed H until d 70. Animals fed DH had a more positive energy balance during the prepartum period. Animals fed DH had higher plasma concentrations of glucose and insulin and lower concentrations of plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) on d -7 relative to calving compared with animals fed DL. No differences in blood concentrations of metabolites, insulin and liver triglycerides (TG) content were observed on d 1. Liver TG content at d 1 and 21 were more related to magnitude of change in energy intake prepartum than to energy intake in the last week of gestation. Cows fed H had higher concentrations of plasma glucose and insulin, but similar plasma NEFA during the postpartum period compared with cows fed L. Plasma concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and liver TG content on d 21 were 46 and 30% lower, respectively, for cows fed H compared with cows fed L. Interactions between prepartum and postpartum treatments indicated that negative effects of delaying higher concentrate feeding until d 21 postpartum can be partially offset by increasing concentrate in the diet before calving. Cows fed L had a higher increase in white line hemorrhage scores between prepartum and 10 wk postpartum compared with cows fed H. Energy density of prepartum diets had a minor influence on metabolic status of cows postpartum. A more favorable metabolic profile occurs when increasing the concentrate content of the diet immediately postpartum compared with delaying the increase until d 21 postpartum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 53706, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rabelo
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rezende
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Bertics
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Grummer
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004487:Edema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000098:blood supply; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal; D036801:Parturition; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid