Effects of prepartum body condition score on metabolite and hormone profiles of dairy cows during the transition period

• Grant number: 15/00621-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: April 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: José Luiz Moraes Vasconcelos
• Grantee: Rodrigo de Oliveira Rodrigues
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effects of prepartum body condition score (BCS) on serum concentrations of insulin, glucose, non-esterified fatty acids, b-hydroxybutyrate , and IGF-1 of dairy cows during the transition period. Sixty multiparous ¾ Holstein ´ ¼ Gir cows will be classified according to BCS on d -21 from parturition. All animals will be allocated in drylot pens with ad libitum availability of water, corn silage and minerals, and will individually receive concentrate in a headlock system. The concentrate will be formulated weekly throughout the experimental period, from d -21 to 61, to meet requirements for maintenance and lactation. Blood will be sampled immediately before the morning feeding; from d -21 to 0 and 21 to 61 blood will be sampled every 5 days and from d 0 to 21 blood will be sampled daily. Animals will be independently assessed for BCS by two previously trained individuals and weighed weekly. Blood serum data will be analyzed as repeated measures using the MIXED procedure of SAS. (AU)