Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia
ABSTRACT: In this single cohort study, we investigated associations between the concentrations of a suite of serum biomarkers measured in the first 30 d of lactation and subsequent reproductive performance measured as mating start date to conception intervals, in pasture-based Holstein cows. A secon...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Dairy Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030223006185 |
| _version_ | 1797356116221362176 |
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| author | T.D.W. Luke J.M. Morton W.J. Wales C.K.M. Ho |
| author_facet | T.D.W. Luke J.M. Morton W.J. Wales C.K.M. Ho |
| author_sort | T.D.W. Luke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT: In this single cohort study, we investigated associations between the concentrations of a suite of serum biomarkers measured in the first 30 d of lactation and subsequent reproductive performance measured as mating start date to conception intervals, in pasture-based Holstein cows. A secondary objective was to examine associations between biomarker concentrations and 305-d milk yield to assess whether any positive associations between biomarker concentration and reproductive performance were explained by reduced milk production. The data used had been collected as part of an ongoing project from 2017 to 2020 to compile a data set from a large population of lactating dairy cows. Biomarkers measured were those associated with energy balance (β-hydroxybutyrate [BHB] and nonesterified fatty acids [NEFA]), protein nutritional status (urea and albumin), immune status (globulin, albumin to globulin ratio and haptoglobin), and macromineral status (calcium and magnesium). Associations between biomarker concentrations and mating start date to conception interval were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models, using between 634 and 1,121 lactations (varying by biomarker) from 632 to 1,103 cows and 11 to 17 mating periods from 10 to 13 herds. Based on hazard ratio (HR) estimates and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI), hazard of conception on any particular day of the herds' mating periods was positively associated with the concentrations of albumin (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.05–1.12), albumin to globulin ratio (HR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.66–4.79), calcium (HR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.18–3.43), and magnesium (HR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.01–4.66), and negatively associated with globulin concentration (HR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.00). There was also some evidence that NEFA concentration was negatively associated (HR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.57 to 1.01), and urea concentration positively associated (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.11), with reproductive performance, but no evidence that BHB and haptoglobin concentrations were associated with reproductive performance. Except for NEFA, presence and direction of the associations between the biomarker and milk yield were not discordant with that for reproductive performance. Also, except for NEFA, we found no substantial evidence of nonlinear relationships between biomarker concentration and either reproductive performance or milk yield. Correlations between biomarker concentrations were generally weak, indicating that multibiomarker panels may collectively predict reproductive performance better than any single biomarker. We noted substantial variation in the concentrations of all biomarkers within, and for some biomarkers, between herd-year groups. Collectively, these results indicate that there may be scope to improve biomarker concentrations through nutritional, management, and genetic interventions, and by association, reproductive performance and milk yield may also improve. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:22:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-44be815219a1496c900226f5953eb39c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-0302 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:22:05Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Journal of Dairy Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-44be815219a1496c900226f5953eb39c2024-01-14T05:34:46ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022024-01-011071425445Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern AustraliaT.D.W. Luke0J.M. Morton1W.J. Wales2C.K.M. Ho3Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, AustraliaJemora Pty Ltd., East Geelong, Victoria 3219, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria Research, Ellinbank Centre, Ellinbank, Victoria 3820, Australia; Centre for Agricultural Innovation, School of Agriculture and Food, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, AustraliaAgriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia; Corresponding authorABSTRACT: In this single cohort study, we investigated associations between the concentrations of a suite of serum biomarkers measured in the first 30 d of lactation and subsequent reproductive performance measured as mating start date to conception intervals, in pasture-based Holstein cows. A secondary objective was to examine associations between biomarker concentrations and 305-d milk yield to assess whether any positive associations between biomarker concentration and reproductive performance were explained by reduced milk production. The data used had been collected as part of an ongoing project from 2017 to 2020 to compile a data set from a large population of lactating dairy cows. Biomarkers measured were those associated with energy balance (β-hydroxybutyrate [BHB] and nonesterified fatty acids [NEFA]), protein nutritional status (urea and albumin), immune status (globulin, albumin to globulin ratio and haptoglobin), and macromineral status (calcium and magnesium). Associations between biomarker concentrations and mating start date to conception interval were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models, using between 634 and 1,121 lactations (varying by biomarker) from 632 to 1,103 cows and 11 to 17 mating periods from 10 to 13 herds. Based on hazard ratio (HR) estimates and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI), hazard of conception on any particular day of the herds' mating periods was positively associated with the concentrations of albumin (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.05–1.12), albumin to globulin ratio (HR = 2.82; 95% CI: 1.66–4.79), calcium (HR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.18–3.43), and magnesium (HR = 2.17; 95% CI: 1.01–4.66), and negatively associated with globulin concentration (HR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.00). There was also some evidence that NEFA concentration was negatively associated (HR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.57 to 1.01), and urea concentration positively associated (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.11), with reproductive performance, but no evidence that BHB and haptoglobin concentrations were associated with reproductive performance. Except for NEFA, presence and direction of the associations between the biomarker and milk yield were not discordant with that for reproductive performance. Also, except for NEFA, we found no substantial evidence of nonlinear relationships between biomarker concentration and either reproductive performance or milk yield. Correlations between biomarker concentrations were generally weak, indicating that multibiomarker panels may collectively predict reproductive performance better than any single biomarker. We noted substantial variation in the concentrations of all biomarkers within, and for some biomarkers, between herd-year groups. Collectively, these results indicate that there may be scope to improve biomarker concentrations through nutritional, management, and genetic interventions, and by association, reproductive performance and milk yield may also improve.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030223006185dairyfertilityepidemiologymetabolic healthdose-response curve |
| spellingShingle | T.D.W. Luke J.M. Morton W.J. Wales C.K.M. Ho Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia Journal of Dairy Science dairy fertility epidemiology metabolic health dose-response curve |
| title | Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia |
| title_full | Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia |
| title_fullStr | Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia |
| title_short | Associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance, accounting for milk yield, in pasture-based Holstein cows in southeastern Australia |
| title_sort | associations between serum health biomarker concentrations and reproductive performance accounting for milk yield in pasture based holstein cows in southeastern australia |
| topic | dairy fertility epidemiology metabolic health dose-response curve |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030223006185 |
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