title: Description of a bovine model for studying digestive and metabolic effects of a positive energy balance not biased by lactation or gravidity.
abstract: Physiological consequences of adaptation to and continued feeding of a high-energetic diet were studied in eight non-pregnant, non-lactating dairy Holstein cows over a period of 16 weeks. The first six weeks served as an adaptation period from the low energetic straw-based diet (3.8 MJ NEL/kg DM) to the high-energetic ration (7.5 MJ NEL/kg DM). Intake of dry matter (DM) increased with dietary energy concentration from 9 to 20 kg/d up to week 9 to 12 and decreased thereafter. The initial live weight (LW) of 550 ± 60 kg was increased linearly and corresponded to an average daily LW gain of 2.3 ± 0.3 kg. Energy balance increased approximately nine-fold to a maximum of 114 MJ NEL/d in week 10. Ruminal fermentation pattern was completely changed from an acetate dominating profile to a propionate based one, which was paralleled by a marked increase in the rumen fluid endotoxin concentration. Unlike blood glucose concentration, which increased continuously, that of cholesterol and triglycerides started to increase after an initial stagnation. In conclusion, both ruminal adaptation to a high-energetic diet and the continued feeding of such a diet induced digestive and metabolic adaptations in non-pregnant, non-lactating cows characterised by a progressing positive energy balance.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Animal Nutrition , Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), Federal Research Institute for Animal Health , Braunschweig , Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dänicke
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Winkler
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frahm
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kersten
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehage
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Breves
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Häussler
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauerwein
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Locher
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology*; D004326:Drinking; D004435:Eating; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D006813:Humidity; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D012417:Rumen / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: blood chemistry; dairy cows; endotoxins; energy balance; energy content; rumen fermentation