EFFECTS OF AN EXTRUDED FLAXSEED SUPPLEMENT ON PLASMA HAPTOGLOBIN, NON-ESTERIFIED FATTY ACIDS, BETA-HYDROXYBUTYRATE, AND COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT IN TRANSITION DAIRY COWS AND HEIFERS
Open Access
- Author:
- Cunningham, Devin Marie
- Graduate Program:
- Animal Science
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- March 16, 2021
- Committee Members:
- Troy Ott, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Joy Lee Pate, Committee Member
Kevin John Harvatine, Committee Member
Adele Marie Turzillo, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- Dairy
Omega-3
Immune
Health
Inflammation
Flaxseed
Energy Balance
Nutrition - Abstract:
- During the transition from late pregnancy to lactation in dairy cows there is an increase in energy demand that surpasses energy intake, causing negative energy balance (NEB). Immunosuppression occurs due to NEB, metabolic changes, impaired neutrophil function and decline in neutrophil concentration. In addition to metabolic changes, there is elevated inflammation due to tissue damage, mammary tissue remodeling, and impaired immune function. The inclusion of fatty acids in the diet is a nutritional strategy to improve energy balance, immune function, and liver performance of the transition dairy cow. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding an extruded flaxseed supplement on transition dairy cow immune response, energy status, and liver function. This study consisted of six alternating 60-day diet periods (3 treatment and 3 control) on a commercial dairy in southeast Pennsylvania. The treatment diet contained a commercial flaxseed supplement (LinPRO-R) that was formulated to 3% of dry matter intake, which was fed to animals entering the close-up dry pen (~3 weeks prepartum) and continued until they entered the production pen (~3 weeks postpartum). Blood was collected when animals entered the close-up dry pen on the day the diet began, then after parturition, blood was collected weekly for three weeks postpartum. Blood was analyzed for changes in packed cell volume, total protein, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, and platelets. In addition, plasma was analyzed for haptoglobin, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). The results indicated that an extruded flaxseed supplement, high in omega-3 fatty acids, had an anti-inflammatory effect in primiparous heifers and multiparous cows. Haptoglobin concentrations were less in multiparous cows that received the flaxseed diet, supporting an anti-inflammatory effect. NEFA concentrations were lower at parturition in primiparous heifers fed the flaxseed diet. The flaxseed diet affected immune cell populations and blood parameters differently in primiparous heifers and multiparous cows. Primiparous heifers that received the flaxseed supplement exhibited lower packed cell volume (PCV) and neutrophil numbers but greater total protein (TP) and monocyte concentrations. Whereas multiparous cows that received the flaxseed diet exhibited lower TP and fewer monocytes but had more neutrophils per microliter. Overall, all animals that received the flaxseed diet exhibited greater platelet concentrations and fewer lymphocytes. Overall, results indicate that the extruded flaxseed supplement reduced liver inflammation in multiparous cows, reduced neutrophil concentrations in primiparous heifers and lymphocytes in both parities. Results of this study highlight the different responses of primiparous heifers and multiparous cows to an omega-3 fatty acid supplement during the transition period. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may be a strategy to improve cow performance in the transition period and that these differences can result in long term improvements in cow productivity. However, these responses need careful evaluation in first lactation and older animals.