Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/3225
Date of Award
12-2025
Degree Name
MS in Agriculture - Animal Science
Department/Program
Animal Science
College
College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
Advisor
David Vagnoni
Advisor Department
Animal Science
Advisor College
College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
Abstract
The transition period, spanning the weeks surrounding parturition, requires dairy cows to undergo synchronized metabolic, endocrine, and immunological adjustments that support the onset of lactation but also heighten disease susceptibility. Although individual inflammatory or metabolic biomarkers have been extensively studied, the integrated immunometabolic dynamics that occur across this period and the difference between breeds is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to characterize longitudinal patterns in key nutrient metabolites and inflammatory markers in Holstein and Jersey cows and assess how these systems interact across the transition period.
A total of 63 Holstein and Jersey cows were sampled from −28 to +28 days relative to calving. Serum or plasma was analyzed for calcium, glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total free amino acids (TFAA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and haptoglobin. Temporal concentrations were modeled using linear mixed models with natural splines, incorporating breed, parity, and their interactions as fixed effects and cow as a random effect. Covariates representing inflammatory status (TNF-α, haptoglobin) and negative energy balance (NEFA, body condition score change) were evaluated to quantify potential immunometabolic crossover.
Across the population, metabolite and inflammatory marker trajectories followed classic transition-cow patterns: calcium declined sharply at calving, glucose exhibited a periparturient spike followed by a postpartum nadir, and both NEFA and BHB rose progressively through early lactation. Jerseys demonstrated higher BHB and TNF-α concentrations than Holsteins, whereas Holsteins mounted a steeper postpartum haptoglobin surge. TFAA concentrations reached a clear nadir at calving and recovered through 28 DIM, though Jerseys exhibited a slower return to baseline. Covariate associations revealed strong integration between inflammatory and metabolic load: NEFA, haptoglobin, and body condition loss were positively associated with BHB, while TNF-α was linked to altered amino acid availability. A significant Breed × Prepartum TNF-α interaction was observed, indicating that prepartum TNF-α concentrations might be related to postpartum haptoglobin concentrations in Holsteins. This relationship was not detected in Jerseys, although further work is needed to determine whether this reflects true breed-level differences in acute-phase responsiveness.
Collectively, these findings demonstrate that Holstein and Jersey cows employ distinct immunometabolic strategies to navigate the transition period. This work highlights the value of evaluating inflammation and energy metabolism concurrently and provides a foundation for developing breed-specific indicators of transition risk and management interventions.