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The objective was to determine the effects of abomasal infusion of linseed oil on liver triglyceride (TG) accumulation and adipose tissue lipolysis during an experimental protocol for induction of fatty liver. Eight nonpregnant, nonlactating Holstein cows were randomly assigned to treatments in a replicated 4 x 4 Latin square design. Treatments were abomasal infusion of water (W), tallow (T), linseed oil (LO), or half linseed oil and half tallow (LOT) at a rate of 0.56 g/kg of body weight per day. Each experimental period consisted of a 4-d fast concurrent with administration of treatments into the abomasum in 6 equal doses per day (every 4 h). Cows were fed ad libitum for 24 d between periods of fasting and lipid infusion. Infusion of linseed oil (LO and LOT) increased alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) content in serum (12.2, 10.4, 4.2, and 4.6 g/100 g of fatty acids for LO, LOT, T, and W, respectively), but not in the nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) fraction of plasma. Treatments had no effect on plasma NEFA concentrations. Abomasal infusion of lipid increased in vitro stimulated lipolysis in subcutaneous adipose tissue, compared with W (4,294, 3,809, 4,231, and 3,293 nmol of glycerol released x g(-1) tissue x 2 h(-1) for LO, LOT, T, and W, respectively), but there was no difference between fat sources. Hepatic TG accumulation over 4-d fast was 2.52, 2.60, 2.64, and 2.09 +/- 0.75 microg of TG/microg of DNA for W, LO, LOT, and T, respectively, which did not differ. Abomasal infusion of LO did not reduce liver TG accumulation, plasma NEFA concentration, or alter in vitro adipose tissue lipolysis when compared with T. These results contrast with a previous study involving i.v. infusion of lipid emulsion derived from LO. Discrepancies might be explained by the use of different administration routes and a relatively modest induction of liver TG accumulation in the current experiment.

Days dry may influence reproductive measures such as days to first postpartum ovulation, days open, and pregnancy per artificial insemination (AI). Holstein cows (n = 781) from an approximately 3,000-cow commercial dairy operation were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatments with different targeted dry period (DP) lengths. Treatments were 1) a traditional DP of 55 d (T) or 2) a shortened DP of 34 d (S). All dry cows on T were fed a low-energy diet until 35 d before expected calving, and then at 34 d before expected calving, cows on T and S were fed a moderate energy diet until parturition. After parturition, all cows consumed the same diets that included a postcalving diet followed by a lactation diet. Actual days dry for each treatment were close to expected values, 34 and 56 d for S and T, respectively. Median days until first postpartum ovulation occurred sooner for S compared with T (35 vs. 43 d). The percentage of cows that were classified anovular by 70 d in milk (DIM) was more than 2-fold greater for cows on T than S (18 vs. 8%). Cows received AI after standing estrus starting at d 45, and the percentage of cows pregnant at 70 DIM tended to be greater for S than T; younger cows were similar (20.2 vs. 18.8%), but there was a difference between S and T in older cows (20.3 vs. 10.6%). Similarly, median days open tended to be fewer for cows on S than T. At 300 DIM, 85% of cows in both treatments were pregnant. Combining data from first and second service, pregnancies per AI were greater in older cows on S than T (32 vs. 24%). Thus, shortening the DP appeared to increase reproductive efficiency in older cows by shortening time to first ovulation, reducing numbers of anovular cows, and improving fertility. Future studies at more locations with varying reproductive management strategies are needed to confirm and provide the mechanistic basis for these results.

Holstein cows (n = 781) in a commercial dairy herd were used in a randomized design to evaluate 2 dry period (DP) management strategies on milk production, milk components, milk quality, colostrum quality, and incidence of metabolic disorders. Cows were randomly assigned to a traditional 55 d (T) or shortened 34 d (S) DP. Cows assigned to T were fed a low-energy diet until 34 d before expected calving at which time all cows were fed a moderate-energy transition diet until calving. Postpartum, cows assigned to T produced more milk and tended to produce more solids-corrected milk than cows on S. Treatment differences in milk and solids-corrected milk yield were accounted for by cows in their second lactation. Milk fat percentage did not differ between treatments, but milk protein percentage was greater for cows assigned to S. Colostrum quality measured as IgG concentration did not differ between management strategies. Somatic cell score and cases of mastitis were not affected by management strategy. There was a tendency for prepartum nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) to be lower for cows assigned to T compared with S. However, postpartum, cows assigned to S had significantly lower NEFA concentrations than those assigned to T. The incidences of ketosis, retained placenta, displaced abomasum, and metritis did not differ between treatments. Postpartum energy balance, as indicated by plasma NEFA, may have been improved for cows assigned to S; there was no detectable effect on animal health.

The objective was to study the effects of abomasal infusion of linseed oil, a source rich in n-3 C18:3, on whole-body response to insulin (experiment 1) and on insulin antilipolytic effects during feed restriction (experiment 2). In experiment 1, eight nonlactating, non-gestating cows were assigned to a crossover design, fed to meet maintenance requirements, and infused abomasally with either linseed oil (LIN) or tallow (TAL) at a rate of 0.54 g/kg of body weight per d for 5.5 d. Infusions were performed every 8 h during the first 3 d of each period and every 4 h thereafter. Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) were performed on d 5 of each period, followed by i.v. insulin challenges (IC) 12 h later. In experiment 2, six nonlactating, nongestating cows were assigned to a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square design. The experimental protocol included a water (WTR) treatment and feeding was suspended on d 3, leading to 50 and 62 h of feed restriction before IVGTT and IC, respectively. Clearance of glucose during IVGTT and IC was not affected by treatments in either experiment. However, LIN had an insulin sensitizing effect in experiment 1, because a lower insulin concentration led to the same clearance of glucose as TAL. In experiment 1, plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration was low, reflecting a postprandial state, but NEFA was greater for LIN than TAL during IVGTT (108 vs. 88 +/- 4 microEq/L) and IC (133 vs. 83 +/- 9 microEq/L). In experiment 2, insulin concentrations during IVGTT did not differ across treatments. Basal plasma NEFA concentration before IVGTT tended to be greater for LIN than for TAL (612 vs. 508 microEq/L). Plasma NEFA clearance rate during IVGTT was greater for LIN than for TAL (2.8 vs. 2.5%/min), leading to a shorter time to reach half NEFA concentration (25 vs. 29 min) and greater absolute value of NEFA response area under the curve [AUC; -64,150 vs. -46,402 (microEq/L) x 180 min]. Data suggest that LIN enhanced the antilipolytic effects of insulin. Yet, other factors could have been involved because plasma NEFA concentration before IVGTT was 104 muEq/L greater for LIN than TAL for unknown reasons.

The objective of these experiments was to determine effects of sampling protocol on plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration. In experiment 1, 8 nonlactating, nongestating dairy cows were blood sampled from a jugular vein catheter (basal, 0 min), moved to an exercise lot for 15 min, returned to stanchions, and sampled immediately and at 5, 15, 30, 60, and 120 min following return to their stalls. Following 15 min of exercise, plasma NEFA concentration increased, peaking at 5 min (225 microEq/L) and returning to basal (84 microEq/L) by 30 min (110 microEq/L). Cows were then moved to box stalls overnight, and 24 h after the basal sample, they were locked up and sampled again. Housing cows in a box stall overnight and locking them in headlocks increased plasma NEFA concentration (184 microEq/L). In a second experiment at a large free-stall commercial dairy, 11 late-gestation nonlactating dairy cows were locked in headlocks at feeding, blood was sampled from the coccygeal artery or vein (0 min), and cows were then released and allowed to finish eating and return to their stalls. Cows were then herded to headlocks and sampled immediately at 120 min after initial sampling and at 135, 150, and 180 min. Plasma NEFA concentration was highest at initial lockup (0 min; 284 microEq/L), lowest at 180 min (178 microEq/L), and intermediate at time points in between. A second group of 10 late-gestation nonlactating dairy cows were locked in headlocks at feeding, and blood was sampled immediately and at 5, 15, 30, and 60 min. Plasma NEFA concentration was highest 15 min after being placed in headlocks and lowest 60 min after lockup (221 and 113 microEq/L, respectively). At each time point in experiments 1 and 2, a behavior score was given (1 to 10; 1 = calm; 10 = extremely excited). In both experiments, there was a significant correlation between the plasma NEFA concentration and behavior score. In conclusion, plasma NEFA concentration was affected by sampling protocol.