Inventory of abdominal adipose depots in Dutch dairy cows at slaughter
A.I. Koopmans*, M. Gonggrijp, S.G.A. van der Drift, L. Heres Royal GD, Arnsbergstraat 7, 7418 EZ Deventer, The Netherlands
*Presenting author
Aim of the study
In dairy cows, abdominal fat deposition is not always accompanied by a high body condition score. As a result, health problems related to (excessive) internal fat deposition may be underestimated. To investigate the prevalence of abdominal fattening and its association with external fat deposition in Dutch dairy cows, an inventory in a slaughterhouse was carried out.
Materials & Methods
• Inventories were carried out at two moments (September and October 2023) at a slaughterhouse in the Netherlands.
• Omental (lesser omentum) and carcass fat deposition were scored in 400 Holstein Friesian cows.
• The omental fat score (OFS, Figure 3) was based on a 5-point scale as described by Van Eetvelde et al. (2011).
• The carcass fat score (CFS) was based on the SEUROP classification system (5-point scale) used in the slaughterhouse.
• Descriptive statistics were performed and associations between OFS and CFS categories were analyzed with univariate regression analyses (Stata version 17.0, 2021).
Results
• Omental fat scores and carcass fat scores of cows at slaughter are shown in Table 1 and Figure 1 and 2.
• 25.3% of the cows had an OFS≥4 (95% CI: 21,1-29,8%).
• 12.8% of these cows with an OFS≥4 had a CFS≤3 (95% CI: 9.6-16.4%).
• 9.8% of the cows had an OFS≥4 combined with a CFS≥4 (95% CI: 7.0%-13.1%).
• Overall, CFS and OFS scores were positively associated: cows with higher CFS scores also had significantly higher OFS scores (P<0.001).
Conclusions
• Based on our data, fattening of dairy cows seems to start in the abdomen and is not always accompanied by a high carcass fat score.
• Cows with normal body condition scores can have abdominal fat deposition and be at risk for health problems related to (abdominal) fat mobilization.
Reference
Van Eetvelde M., De Smet S., Opsomer G. (2011). Het inschatten van energiereserves onder de vorm van vet bij hoogproductieve melkkoeien [The estimation of energy reserves formed by fat tissue in high productive dairy cows]; Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift, 2011, 80.
Figure 1. Distribution of omental fat scores in carcasses of 400 Holstein Friesian cows (%)
Figure 3. Determination of the amount of fat stored in the lesser omentum (Omental Fat Score).
Figure 2. Distribution of carcass fat scores in carcasses of 400 Holstein Friesian cows (%)