AHEAD IN ANIMAL HEALTH
The association between dietary intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin E in transition dairy cows S.G.A. van der Drift1*, A. Koopmans2, S. Carp-van Dijken1, R. Grotentraast1 and M.M.C. Holstege1 1 Royal GD, Arnsbergstraat 7, 7418 EZ Deventer, The Netherlands 2 Schothorst Feed Research B.V., Meerkoetenweg 26, 8218 NA Lelystad, The Netherlands * Presenting author
Collaboration between
Aim of the study Vitamin E is usually supplemented to dry cow diets. Differences in dry matter intake between cows in a herd may, however, lead to variation in the vitamin status of animals around parturition. Objectives of the present study were to assess the association between dietary intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin E in transition dairy cows and to study how variation in dry matter intake around parturition can affect the vitamin status of animals in this period.
Materials & Methods
• Descriptive statistics are shown in Table 1. • Considerable variation existed in dry matter intake of transition dairy cows, even with unlimited access to the diet via individual feeding places. • As a result, differences in dietary vitamin E intake also occurred between animals (Figure 2). • Dietary intake of vitamin E was significantly associated with plasma vitamin E concentrations (P<0.01) in both prepartum and postpartum cows (Figure 3).
Conclusions • Dietary intake of vitamin E was associated with plasma vitamin E concentrations in transition dairy cows. • Differences in dry matter intake of cows may lead to variation in the vitamin E status within a group of cows fed on the same diet.
Blood sampling
Week -4
Blood sampling End study
Individual feed intake registration
Week 4
Partus
Week -1
Figure 1. Design of the study Table 1. Descriptive statistics of dry matter intake (DM), vitamin E intake, and plasma vitamin E concentrations in transition dairy cows Parameter DM intake (kg/day) Prepartum (week -4 to -2) Postpartum (week 1 to 3) Vit. E intake (IU/day) Prepartum (week -4 to -2) Postpartum (week 1 to 3) Plasma Vit. E (µmol/L) Prepartum (week -1) Postpartum (week 4)
No. of cows Average
SD
Median
Min
Max
57 57
14.6 19.8
2.2 3.4
14.4 19.6
10.6 11.1
19.9 28.3
57 57
1545 1785
318 452
1529 1759
947 713
2376 2906
56 54
12.5 14.4
4.1 3.9
12.1 14.4
4.1 6.4
23.1 21.3
3000
prepartum
25
postpartum
2500
20 Plasma vit E (µmol/L)
Results
Individual feed intake registration
Start study
Vit E intake (IU/day)
• The study was performed between September 2018 and February 2019 at the dairy farm of Schothorst Feed Research B.V. (Lelystad, the Netherlands). Sixty cows of all parities were enrolled. • Animals were housed in a loose housing system with individual feeding places and had ad libitum access to the basal diet and water. • The design of the study is shown in Figure 1. • The dry cow diet (108 IU/kg DM vitamine E) consisted of grass silage, corn silage, straw, a protein supplement, and concentrates (1 kg/day). • The lactation diet (87 IU/kg DM vitamine E) consisted of grass silage, corn silage, pressed beet pulp, protein supplement, and concentrates (fixed scheme). • Vitamin E concentrations in feedstuffs and plasma were analyzed using HPLC. • Linear regression models were used to assess the association between the vitamine E intake in the three weeks prior to sampling and the concentration in plasma.
2000
1500
15
10
1000
5 500 −4
−3
−2
−1
Week
1
2
3
4
Figure 2. Weekly average dietary vitamin E intake in transition cows (n=57) from 4 weeks before until 4 weeks after calving
1000
1500
2000
2500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Vit E intake (IU/day)
Figure 3. Association between average dietary vitamin E intake in the 3 weeks prior to sampling and plasma concentrations of cows prepartum (week -1) and postpartum (week 4)
s.v.d.drift@gdanimalhealth.com www.gdanimalhealth.com
GD2643/07-22