• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2019

We aimed to identify predictive markers of peri- and postpartum disorders in dairy cows. Data regarding peri- and postpartum disorders, serum metabolites, body condition score (BCS), and rectal temperature, were collected from 227 dairy cows, which were allocated to healthy (n = 57) and diseased (n = 170) groups. Serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration was higher in diseased than healthy cows 4 weeks before (p < 0.01) and immediately after (p = 0.05) calving. Serum alanine aminotransferase (AST) activity was higher (p < 0.05) in diseased than healthy cows 1 and 2 weeks after calving, whereas total cholesterol (TCH) concentration was lower (p < 0.05-0.0001) in diseased cows 4 weeks before, and after calving. BCS was higher (p < 0.05) in diseased than healthy cows 4 weeks before calving, but lower (p < 0.01) in diseased cows 8 weeks after calving. Rectal temperature was higher (p < 0.05-0.01) in diseased than healthy cows between 2 and 14 days postpartum. In conclusion, high serum NEFA and AST concentrations and lower TCH concentration during the peripartum period, and high prepartum BCS and postpartum rectal temperature, could be used as biomarkers to predict the subsequent development of peri- and postpartum disorders.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.6
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• 2021

The reproductive tracts have an intimate relationship with reproduction because there are bacterial communities that can affect reproductive health. The differences in the bacterial community of periparturient dairy cows were investigated. Vaginal and fecal samples were collected seven days before and after calving, and DNA was extracted to sequence the V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA genes. In the postpartum vaginas, operational taxonomic units, Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson were decreased, and phyla Fusobacteria and Bacteroidetes were increased. In summary, bacterial abundance can affect the periparturient biological differences in dairy cows, suggesting a susceptibility to infection within one week after calving.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.330-339
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• 2002

Fifty one Nili-Ravi dairy buffaloes in their last two months of gestation were selected. After parturition, rectal examination of reproductive organs was carried out until the occurrence of the first oestrus (PEI). Milk samples were analyzed for milk progesterone levels (MPL). Ovulation (POI) was confirmed by rectal palpation and MPL. Feed and blood samples were collected fortnightly and analyzed. Body condition score (BCS) was recorded on a scale of 0 to 5. Crude protein (CP) intake varied among different seasons and correlated positively with serum urea levels, POI (p<0.01) and PEI (p<0.05). Excess CPI was lower in the group showing oestrus as compared to those remaining as anoestrus (p<0.05). The dietary ratio of crude protein - metabolizable energy (CP:ME) in the oestrus animals was narrow and constant, while the anoestrus animals had a widely fluctuating one. In normal breeding season (NBS) calvers, mean serum urea level (SUL) was lower than the low breeding season (LBS) calvers. SUL was positively correlated with PEI and POI (p<0.01). Up to six months postpartum, SUL were constantly higher in anoestrus than oestrus buffaloes. Mean metabolizable energy (ME) intake was lower in the NBS calvers than the LBS calvers (p<0.01). BCS and postpartum ovulation interval were correlated with ME intake (p<0.01). Prepartum ME intake was higher in oestrous as compared to anoestrous animals (p<0.05). Higher and lower ME intakes were associated with anoestrus, while a moderate energy intake was associated with a PEI of less than 75 days. Buffaloes with poor BCS belonged to the LBS calving group and most of the NBS calving buffaloes had good BCS. BCS was negatively correlated with PEI (p<0.01) and was higher in oestrous buffaloes than anestrus. It was concluded that excess intake of crude protein, associated with higher serum urea levels and low energy intake, associated with poor body condition, are the key factors for low reproductive efficiency. It may be corrected by adopting a proper feeding strategy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1513-1520
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• 2009

Forty-six Holstein heifers were used in a completely randomized design and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments to evaluate the effects of 2 diets varying in ruminal fermentable carbohydrate sources, namely ground corn (GC) and rolled wheat (RW), on metabolism and performance of primiparous cows in the periparturient period. The heifers were fed diets as a total mixed ration (TMR) with similar energy and crude protein content including i) 18.57% GC, or ii) 18.57% RW from -24.13${\pm}$7.73 d relative to expected calving until calving. After calving, all animals received the same lactation diet until 28 d. Animals were group fed from the beginning of the study to -7 d relative to expected calving, fed individually from d -7 to 7 days in milk (DIM), and again group fed to 28 DIM. The pre-partum diets affected (p<0.05) dry matter intake (DMI), energy intake, energy balance (EB) and urinary pH during the last week pre-partum. There was no effect of pre-partum carbohydrate source on overall plasma concentration of glucose, nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), $\beta$-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), albumin, triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), insulin, and cortisol during the periparturient period. Cows fed the RW diet during the pre-partum period had greater calcium for the first week (p<0.05) and during 28 d (p = 0.08) of lactation compared with heifers fed the GC diet. Primiparous cows fed the RW diet produced greater milk protein content and yield (p<0.05). Primiparous cows fed the RW diet had lower milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and somatic cell count (SCC) than cows fed the GC diet (p<0.05). The results of this study show that feeding pre-partum diets with a rapidly fermentable source of starch but low energy content can improve animal metabolism and performance and smooth the transition of primiparous Holstein cows from gestation to lactation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.341-347
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• 1999

Pregnant Yorkshire gilts were utilized to investigate the efficacy of exogenous administration of pST and/or insulin in enhancing prenatal piglet survival, uteroplacental and umbilical cord growth and development. Gilts were randomly assigned in a $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement to four treatment combinations consisting of either daily i.m. injections of 5 mg pST (P, n=23); 0.50 IU/kg of insulin (I, n=23); combination of pST and insulin (P+I, n=23); or 1 ml of saline as control (C, n=23) from gestation Day 30 to 70. All gilts were sacrificed on gestation d 113 to evaluate piglet survival and uteroplacental or umbilical cord development Uteri were longer (346.3 vs 325.7 cm; p<0.05), and heavier (3122.8 vs 2940.7 g; p<0.05) in insulin treated gilts. Only placental macroscopic surface area was enhanced by maternal insulin injections (p<0.05) Incidence of umbilical cord abnormalities were low (14.3%), and they were independent of maternal treatment, occurring more in short cords than in long ones (21 vs 12%; p<0.05). A 6% increase in cord length (53.2 vs 48.6 cm; p=<0.05) was observed in piglets from treated gilts compared with controls. Significant sex differences (in favour of males) were observed in piglet weight, crown rump length and for most umbilical or placental parameters. Gilt weight gains from breeding to Day 113 of gestation were 10% and 15% greater in pST and insulin treated gilts compared with controls. These data indicate that prepartum injections of pST and/or insulin to gestating gilts seem to have a beneficial effect on uteroplacental or umbilical cord development and promote conditions conducive for perinatal piglet survival.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.504-508
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• 2002

The effects of fetal number (single or twin) on blood glucose and plasma NEFA during pregnancy and around parturition were studied on ten Alpine ${\times}$ Beetal crossbred goats in their first to third lactation. The animals were divided in-groups 1(carrying single fetus, n=4) and 2(twin fetus, n=6). The samples were drawn on day1 after estrus and then at 14 days interval (fortnight) for 10 fortnights. Around parturition the samples were taken on days -20, -15, -10, -5, -4, -3, -2, -1 prior to kidding and on day 0 and +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +10, +15, +20 days post kidding. In twin bearing goats the blood glucose concentration continued to increase from 1st until 4th fortnight and thereafter gradually decline from 5th upto 8th fortnight. In single bearing goats there was increase in levels from 2nd upto 4th fortnight and thereafter it declined from 5th uptill 9th fortnight. The difference in sampling interval was highly significant (p<0.01) in both the groups. However the values were higher in single than in twin bearing goats. The plasma NEFA concentration was low in both the groups' upto 4th fortnight and thereafter it is continuously increased upto 9th fortnight. During prepartum period the blood glucose was higher in single than in twin bearing goats. The values were minimum on the day of kidding in both the groups. During postpartum period the values were significantly (p<0.01) higher in twin than in single fetus bearing goats. The plasma NEFA was significantly (p<0.05) higher in twin than in single fetus bearing goats. The blood glucose and plasma NEFA concentration can be used as index of nutritional status during pregnancy and around parturition in goats.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2014

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of Codonopsis pilosula extract powder (CEP) on the reproductive performance in sows. A total of 20 pregnant sows were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, which was given a corn and soybean meal-based diets containing 0 or 5 g/kg of the CEP from 40 days prepartum to weaning (25 days postpartum). The serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of sow (p<0.01) and piglets (p<0.05) was significantly increased by the feeding of CEP. And we also demonstrated that the coefficient of correlation between the colostrum and serum indicates a significant positive correlation on IgG. The stillbirth of sows and mortality rate during suckling periods were slightly lower in CEP feeding group than control, but there is no significant difference. In conclusion, our results suggest that the dietary supplementation of CEP increases the humoral immunity in both of sows and piglets, and it might contribute to improve the reproductive performance of sows. Further, additory studies are necessary on the immunomodulatory mechanism of CEP components.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.87-102
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• 1992

A rapid, sensitive, and specific enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) for bovine casein was developed. Biotinylated casein and peroxidase-conjugated avidin were used in the assay with antibody separated from yolks of immunized hens. Caseins were biotinylated with sulfo-N-hydroxy succinimido biotin and peroxi-dase-conjugated avidin bound the biotinylated casein which became bound to immobilized anti-body on a microplate. The antibodies were specific for bovine $\alpha$- and $\beta$-caseins, and their cross-reactivities with whey proteins, IgG, and serum albumin from bovine were not detectable by ELISA and Western blot. Various sensitivities ranging from 2ng/ml to 20${\mu}\textrm{g}$/ml of casein were achieved, and were controlled by adding vanous concentrations of the biotinylated casein. Parallelism was observed between standard and sample curves. The coefficients of variation of intra-assays and inter-assays from the most sensitive assay were 5.5 and 5.7%, respectively, at the 50% displacement. Casein contents of peripaturient milk samples showed that casein secretion rapidly increased 3d prepartum.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.65-74
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• 2010

Dairy cow undergoes major adaptations in glucose and lipid metabolism to meet fetal and mammary nutrient requirements during the periparturient period. These adaptations are characterized by major changes in response to the homeostatic signal of insulin. In response to insulin, fatty acids are mobilized to meet energy demand. And cow develop insulin resistance during the late prepartum period to facilitate glucose sparing for the fetus and mammary gland. Insulin resistance is an important adaptation and may be partly responsible for the large increase in plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) that occurs prior to parturition and coincides with the characteristic decrease in dry matter intake (DMI). Modulation of insulin resistance by administration of thiazolidinedione (TZD) during the periparturient period, likely through the activation of $PPAR{\gamma}$, has substantial potential to minimize energy and immune-related metabolic disorders, and thus may result in increased productivity and improved health of dairy cows.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.759-769
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of stocking density on the behavior, productivity, and metabolism of periparturient Holstein cows as well as calf performance. Methods: A total of 48 periparturient cows were randomly assigned into three groups at 28 days (±3 days) before their expected calving date. The stocking densities of the groups, relative to the standard cubicle and feed bunk number, were i) 80% (13 cows), ii) 100% (16 cows), and iii) 120% (19 cows). Lying and rumination behavior was recorded using electronic data loggers and HR-Tags from d -21 ("d-" means days before calving) until the calving date, d 0. Lying time was assessed to determine the diurnal total hours spent lying per day. Rumination time was averaged in 2 hours interval periods over 24 hours during the experimental period. Results: Cows in the 80% group spent more time lying and ruminating between d -21 and d -7 and tended to ruminate more between d -14 and d 0. Calcium levels tended to be higher for cows in the 80% group, no other observable differences were found in monitored blood parameters. Moreover, 3.5% fat corrected milk and energy corrected milk yields were higher in 80% group in the first month of lactation. No other observable differences were found in the yield and composition of colostrum and milk in the first 10 months of lactation. The growth and performance of calves in the first week of life was not affected by stocking density of the dams. Conclusion: We concluded that lower stocking density may increase lying and ruminating behavior of prepartum Holstein cows. However, this did not translate into improved productivity and metabolism.