Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Research
Research EDITORIAL
Managing energy balance in the transition cow D. C. Barrett, M. Steele, M. W. Overton With an expanding global human population, the production and maintenance of an adequate food supply are of increasing importance for a sustainable future. Recent projections predict that the global population will reach 9.1 billion by 2050 (a 34 per cent increase on 2009) and 7.7 billion by 2020 (FAO 2009). Urbanisation continues to rise, which tends to increase average income, resulting in increasing demands for animal protein, with most of the supply still coming from eggs, meat and milk derivatives. It is therefore critical that we maintain an efficient level of production that can deal with these demands.
D. C. Barrett, BSc, BVSc, DBR, DCHP Dip, ECBHM, FHEA, MRCVS, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK e-mail: [email protected] M. Steele, BSc, BVSc, MRCVS, Elanco Animal Health, Lilly House, Priestley Road, Basingstoke RG24 9NL, UK e-mail: [email protected] M. W. Overton, DVM, MPVM, Elanco Animal Health, 2500 Innovation Way, Greenfield, Indiana 46140, USA e-mail: [email protected]
Agricultural land is no longer a limitless resource, with much of the Earth’s potential surface already claimed. There are therefore increasing pressures on livestock producers worldwide, in whatever production system they employ, to develop sustainable systems that better use technology to increase efficiency and productivity, while also enhancing animal welfare, minimising environmental impact and using veterinary medicines responsibly. The number of dairy cows globally stands at 260 million, with EU numbers stable at 23.2 million, but the UK herd has fallen to 1.78 million, decreasing 6.7 per cent in the last five years (DairyCo 2013). Although the number of cows is fairly stable, the amount of milk produced in the EU has actually increased from 149 billion litres in 2008 to 152 billion litres in 2012 (FAO 2014). In the UK, average individual cow milk yields in 2001/02 stood at 6450 litres per year, increasing to 7600 litres per year in 2011/12; an increase of almost 18 per cent in a decade (DairyCo 2013). There are many factors that have contributed to this increase in productivity, but the major influences have been the breeding of more productive cows, improvements in their management, including nutrition, and
June 28, 2014 | Veterinary Record | 655
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Research The impact of managing decreased production losses – the period from dry off to particularly those associated early lactation to decrease with disease. the risk of metabolic disease A paper by Lyons and and LDA with the associated others (2014), summarised enhanced culling risks, is on p 657 of this issue of significant both in terms of Veterinary Record, addresses the animal welfare and efficient importance of reducing the milk production. Optimising risk of loss resulting from left the somatotropic axis of IGF-1, displaced abomasum (LDA) growth hormone and growth by the ability to reliably hormone receptors around predict the resulting risks of calving is a major factor being culled. The main factors Fresh calved cow and calf. Optimising the somatotropic axis of IGF-1, contributing to losses in milk growth hormone and growth hormone receptors around calving is a major in maintaining health and productivity in early lactation production after calving are factor in maintaining health and productivity in early lactation in high in high yielding dairy cows. negative energy balance, yielding dairy cows consequences of disease and References serum calcium concentrations (McNamara hormone receptor is often greatly decreased, CHAPINAL, N., CARSON, M. E., LEBLANC, S. J., and others 2003, Chapinal and others 2012). especially during the first week postpartum, LESLIE, K. E., GODDEN, S., CAPEL, M., SANTOS, A previous study indicated that higher than resulting in reductions in circulating IGF-1 J. E. P., OVERTON, M. W. & DUFFIELD, T. F. (2012) normal serum levels of non-esterified fatty but increased circulating growth hormone The association of serum metabolites in the transition period with milk production and early-lactation acid (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), levels. Concurrently, there is a reduction reproductive performance. Journal of Dairy Science 95, as well as decreased calcium concentrations, in circulating insulin levels and a greater 1301-1309 contribute to increased culling risk in the resistance to insulin’s normal actions (Lucy DAIRYCO (2013) Farming data, cow numbers. www. dairyco.org.uk/market-information/farming-data/cowfirst 60 days after calving (Chapinal and 2008). These processes result in an increase numbers/uk-cow-numbers/#.U58KRvldVic. Accessed others 2012). Lyons and others (2014) in circulating NEFA and a sparing effect June 18, 2014 looked at the effects on productivity, fertility on circulating glucose for preferential use FAO (2009) How to feed the World in 2050 – executive and risk factors for culling associated with summary. www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/ by the mammary gland as compared to expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf. cows experiencing LDA. insulin-dependent tissues. Other tissues can Accessed June 18, 2014 LDA in dairy cows has previously been use fatty acids for energy but the mammary FAO (2014) European Union EU-28 Dairy Market milk associated with negative energy balance gland and brain require glucose (Okamura production figures. www.clal.it/en/?section=stat_ue15. Accessed June 18, 2014 (LeBlanc and others 2005, McArt and and others 2009). The liver regulates FENWICK M. A., FITZPATRICK, R., KENNY, D. others 2012, Roberts and others 2012). The nutrient partitioning and, in a negative A., DISKIN M. G., PATTON, J., MURPHY J. J. & findings of Lyons and others (2014) support energy balance situation, it downregulates WATHES, D. C. (2008) Interrelationships between negative energy balance (NEB) and IGF regulation in liver this, as well as reporting an associated mean the growth hormone receptors while the of lactating dairy cows. Domestic Animal Endocrinology milk production loss of 2272 litres per LDA number of insulin and glucocorticoid 34, 31-44 case compared with matched controls. receptors are unaffected (Fenwick and LEBLANC, S. J., LESLIE, K. E. & DUFFIELD, T. F. (2005) The LDA incidence in modern dairy others 2008). Rather than ‘uncoupling’, this Metabolic predictors of displaced abomasum in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 159-170 cattle is reported to be 2 to 5 per cent anomaly can be described as ‘attenuating’, as LUCY, M. C. (2008) Functional differences in the growth (LeBlanc and others 2005). If we extrapolate the opposing effects are related rather than hormone and insulin-like growth factor axis in cattle the average milk loss of 2272 litres per case at uncoupled. It can be concluded that it is not and pigs: implications for post-partum nutrition and reproduction. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 43 (suppl the current UK milk price of £0.33 per litre, milk production that is a rate-limiting factor 2), 31-39 we can estimate the milk loss cost of LDA to for glucose availability, but the management LYONS, N. A., COOKE, J. S., WILSON, S., VAN the 1.78 million cow UK herd to be between of the cow before calving in order to WINDEN, S. C., GORDON, P. J. & WATHES, £26.7 million and £66.7 million. This takes D. C. (2014) Relationships between metabolite and maximise energy balance and optimise IGF-1 concentrations with fertility and production outno account of associated treatment costs for nutrient partitioning postpartum. Lyons comes following left abomasal displacement. Veterinary LDA and concurrent conditions or the cost and others (2014) note that IGF-1 levels take Record doi:10.1136/vr.102119 to the industry, both economic and in terms days to change compared with glucose or MCART, J. A. A., NYDAM, D. V. & OETZEL, G. R. (2012) Epidemiology of subclinical ketosis in early lactaof environmental efficiency, of the increased insulin levels, resulting in their potential as a tion dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 5056-5066 risk of culling also associated with LDA. more stable and reliable indicator of energy MCNAMARA, S., O’MARA, F. P., RATH, M. & This illustrates the importance of finding balance than glucose or insulin (Taylor and MURPHY, J. J. (2003) Effects of different transition diets on dry matter intake, milk production, and milk indicators that can reliably predict the risk others 2004). composition in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 86, of LDA or its consequences occurring, What is interesting about the article 2397-2408 so that appropriate steps can be taken for by Lyons and colleagues is that the group OKAMURA, C. S., BADER, J. F., KEISLER D. H. & interventions to be applied to reduce such measured and correlated IGF-1 levels and LUCY, M. C. (2009) Short communication: growth hormone receptor expression in two dairy breeds durrisks and therefore losses. the subsequent risks of culling and found ing the periparturient period. Journal of Dairy Science 92, Negative energy balance in the late dry that cows that were culled had, irrespective 2706-2710 period and early lactation can be measured of LDA status, roughly half the levels of ROBERTS, T., CHAPINAL, N., LEBLANC, S. J., KELTON, D. F., DUBUC, J. & DUFFIELD, T. F. (2012) by NEFA and BHB levels in the blood but IGF-1 at the time of sampling that surviving Metabolic parameters in transition cows as indicators Lyons and colleagues also consider other cows had. This prompts two thoughts: for early-lactation culling risk. Journal of Dairy Science 95, factors. The somatotropic axis in the dairy the first is to underline the importance of 3057-3063 cow made up of growth hormone, the TAYLOR, V. J., CHENG, Z., PUSHPAKUMURA, minimising the depth of negative energy P. G. A., BEEVER, D. E. & WATHES, D. C. (2004) growth hormone receptor and insulinbalance from -60 to +30 days in milk; and Relationships between the plasma concentrations of like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been well the second is to further develop techniques insulin-like growth factor-1 in dairy cows and their studied and is often considered ‘uncoupled’ that can predict, with high sensitivity and fertility and milk yield. Veterinary Record 155, 583-588 shortly after calving in high producing specificity, individuals that are at increased dairy cows. During the periparturient risk of negative energy balance and therefore doi: 10.1136/vr.g4178 period, the liver expression of growth display lower IGF-1 levels. 656 | Veterinary Record | June 28, 2014
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Managing energy balance in the transition cow D. C. Barrett, M. Steele and M. W. Overton Veterinary Record 2014 174: 655-656
doi: 10.1136/vr.g4178 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/174/26/655
These include:
References Email alerting service
This article cites 9 articles, 1 of which you can access for free at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/174/26/655#BIBL Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
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To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
Research
Research EDITORIAL
Managing energy balance in the transition cow D. C. Barrett, M. Steele, M. W. Overton With an expanding global human population, the production and maintenance of an adequate food supply are of increasing importance for a sustainable future. Recent projections predict that the global population will reach 9.1 billion by 2050 (a 34 per cent increase on 2009) and 7.7 billion by 2020 (FAO 2009). Urbanisation continues to rise, which tends to increase average income, resulting in increasing demands for animal protein, with most of the supply still coming from eggs, meat and milk derivatives. It is therefore critical that we maintain an efficient level of production that can deal with these demands.
D. C. Barrett, BSc, BVSc, DBR, DCHP Dip, ECBHM, FHEA, MRCVS, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK e-mail: [email protected] M. Steele, BSc, BVSc, MRCVS, Elanco Animal Health, Lilly House, Priestley Road, Basingstoke RG24 9NL, UK e-mail: [email protected] M. W. Overton, DVM, MPVM, Elanco Animal Health, 2500 Innovation Way, Greenfield, Indiana 46140, USA e-mail: [email protected]
Agricultural land is no longer a limitless resource, with much of the Earth’s potential surface already claimed. There are therefore increasing pressures on livestock producers worldwide, in whatever production system they employ, to develop sustainable systems that better use technology to increase efficiency and productivity, while also enhancing animal welfare, minimising environmental impact and using veterinary medicines responsibly. The number of dairy cows globally stands at 260 million, with EU numbers stable at 23.2 million, but the UK herd has fallen to 1.78 million, decreasing 6.7 per cent in the last five years (DairyCo 2013). Although the number of cows is fairly stable, the amount of milk produced in the EU has actually increased from 149 billion litres in 2008 to 152 billion litres in 2012 (FAO 2014). In the UK, average individual cow milk yields in 2001/02 stood at 6450 litres per year, increasing to 7600 litres per year in 2011/12; an increase of almost 18 per cent in a decade (DairyCo 2013). There are many factors that have contributed to this increase in productivity, but the major influences have been the breeding of more productive cows, improvements in their management, including nutrition, and
June 28, 2014 | Veterinary Record | 655
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Research The impact of managing decreased production losses – the period from dry off to particularly those associated early lactation to decrease with disease. the risk of metabolic disease A paper by Lyons and and LDA with the associated others (2014), summarised enhanced culling risks, is on p 657 of this issue of significant both in terms of Veterinary Record, addresses the animal welfare and efficient importance of reducing the milk production. Optimising risk of loss resulting from left the somatotropic axis of IGF-1, displaced abomasum (LDA) growth hormone and growth by the ability to reliably hormone receptors around predict the resulting risks of calving is a major factor being culled. The main factors Fresh calved cow and calf. Optimising the somatotropic axis of IGF-1, contributing to losses in milk growth hormone and growth hormone receptors around calving is a major in maintaining health and productivity in early lactation production after calving are factor in maintaining health and productivity in early lactation in high in high yielding dairy cows. negative energy balance, yielding dairy cows consequences of disease and References serum calcium concentrations (McNamara hormone receptor is often greatly decreased, CHAPINAL, N., CARSON, M. E., LEBLANC, S. J., and others 2003, Chapinal and others 2012). especially during the first week postpartum, LESLIE, K. E., GODDEN, S., CAPEL, M., SANTOS, A previous study indicated that higher than resulting in reductions in circulating IGF-1 J. E. P., OVERTON, M. W. & DUFFIELD, T. F. (2012) normal serum levels of non-esterified fatty but increased circulating growth hormone The association of serum metabolites in the transition period with milk production and early-lactation acid (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), levels. Concurrently, there is a reduction reproductive performance. Journal of Dairy Science 95, as well as decreased calcium concentrations, in circulating insulin levels and a greater 1301-1309 contribute to increased culling risk in the resistance to insulin’s normal actions (Lucy DAIRYCO (2013) Farming data, cow numbers. www. dairyco.org.uk/market-information/farming-data/cowfirst 60 days after calving (Chapinal and 2008). These processes result in an increase numbers/uk-cow-numbers/#.U58KRvldVic. Accessed others 2012). Lyons and others (2014) in circulating NEFA and a sparing effect June 18, 2014 looked at the effects on productivity, fertility on circulating glucose for preferential use FAO (2009) How to feed the World in 2050 – executive and risk factors for culling associated with summary. www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/ by the mammary gland as compared to expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf. cows experiencing LDA. insulin-dependent tissues. Other tissues can Accessed June 18, 2014 LDA in dairy cows has previously been use fatty acids for energy but the mammary FAO (2014) European Union EU-28 Dairy Market milk associated with negative energy balance gland and brain require glucose (Okamura production figures. www.clal.it/en/?section=stat_ue15. Accessed June 18, 2014 (LeBlanc and others 2005, McArt and and others 2009). The liver regulates FENWICK M. A., FITZPATRICK, R., KENNY, D. others 2012, Roberts and others 2012). The nutrient partitioning and, in a negative A., DISKIN M. G., PATTON, J., MURPHY J. J. & findings of Lyons and others (2014) support energy balance situation, it downregulates WATHES, D. C. (2008) Interrelationships between negative energy balance (NEB) and IGF regulation in liver this, as well as reporting an associated mean the growth hormone receptors while the of lactating dairy cows. Domestic Animal Endocrinology milk production loss of 2272 litres per LDA number of insulin and glucocorticoid 34, 31-44 case compared with matched controls. receptors are unaffected (Fenwick and LEBLANC, S. J., LESLIE, K. E. & DUFFIELD, T. F. (2005) The LDA incidence in modern dairy others 2008). Rather than ‘uncoupling’, this Metabolic predictors of displaced abomasum in dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 159-170 cattle is reported to be 2 to 5 per cent anomaly can be described as ‘attenuating’, as LUCY, M. C. (2008) Functional differences in the growth (LeBlanc and others 2005). If we extrapolate the opposing effects are related rather than hormone and insulin-like growth factor axis in cattle the average milk loss of 2272 litres per case at uncoupled. It can be concluded that it is not and pigs: implications for post-partum nutrition and reproduction. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 43 (suppl the current UK milk price of £0.33 per litre, milk production that is a rate-limiting factor 2), 31-39 we can estimate the milk loss cost of LDA to for glucose availability, but the management LYONS, N. A., COOKE, J. S., WILSON, S., VAN the 1.78 million cow UK herd to be between of the cow before calving in order to WINDEN, S. C., GORDON, P. J. & WATHES, £26.7 million and £66.7 million. This takes D. C. (2014) Relationships between metabolite and maximise energy balance and optimise IGF-1 concentrations with fertility and production outno account of associated treatment costs for nutrient partitioning postpartum. Lyons comes following left abomasal displacement. Veterinary LDA and concurrent conditions or the cost and others (2014) note that IGF-1 levels take Record doi:10.1136/vr.102119 to the industry, both economic and in terms days to change compared with glucose or MCART, J. A. A., NYDAM, D. V. & OETZEL, G. R. (2012) Epidemiology of subclinical ketosis in early lactaof environmental efficiency, of the increased insulin levels, resulting in their potential as a tion dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 5056-5066 risk of culling also associated with LDA. more stable and reliable indicator of energy MCNAMARA, S., O’MARA, F. P., RATH, M. & This illustrates the importance of finding balance than glucose or insulin (Taylor and MURPHY, J. J. (2003) Effects of different transition diets on dry matter intake, milk production, and milk indicators that can reliably predict the risk others 2004). composition in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 86, of LDA or its consequences occurring, What is interesting about the article 2397-2408 so that appropriate steps can be taken for by Lyons and colleagues is that the group OKAMURA, C. S., BADER, J. F., KEISLER D. H. & interventions to be applied to reduce such measured and correlated IGF-1 levels and LUCY, M. C. (2009) Short communication: growth hormone receptor expression in two dairy breeds durrisks and therefore losses. the subsequent risks of culling and found ing the periparturient period. Journal of Dairy Science 92, Negative energy balance in the late dry that cows that were culled had, irrespective 2706-2710 period and early lactation can be measured of LDA status, roughly half the levels of ROBERTS, T., CHAPINAL, N., LEBLANC, S. J., KELTON, D. F., DUBUC, J. & DUFFIELD, T. F. (2012) by NEFA and BHB levels in the blood but IGF-1 at the time of sampling that surviving Metabolic parameters in transition cows as indicators Lyons and colleagues also consider other cows had. This prompts two thoughts: for early-lactation culling risk. Journal of Dairy Science 95, factors. The somatotropic axis in the dairy the first is to underline the importance of 3057-3063 cow made up of growth hormone, the TAYLOR, V. J., CHENG, Z., PUSHPAKUMURA, minimising the depth of negative energy P. G. A., BEEVER, D. E. & WATHES, D. C. (2004) growth hormone receptor and insulinbalance from -60 to +30 days in milk; and Relationships between the plasma concentrations of like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been well the second is to further develop techniques insulin-like growth factor-1 in dairy cows and their studied and is often considered ‘uncoupled’ that can predict, with high sensitivity and fertility and milk yield. Veterinary Record 155, 583-588 shortly after calving in high producing specificity, individuals that are at increased dairy cows. During the periparturient risk of negative energy balance and therefore doi: 10.1136/vr.g4178 period, the liver expression of growth display lower IGF-1 levels. 656 | Veterinary Record | June 28, 2014
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on June 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Managing energy balance in the transition cow D. C. Barrett, M. Steele and M. W. Overton Veterinary Record 2014 174: 655-656
doi: 10.1136/vr.g4178 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/174/26/655
These include:
References Email alerting service
This article cites 9 articles, 1 of which you can access for free at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/174/26/655#BIBL Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
