Immunologic parameters post E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenged in dairy cows supplemented with Omnigen-AF®

• Grant number: 15/23373-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: José Luiz Moraes Vasconcelos
• Grantee: Franciele Caroline Firmino
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate if Omnigen-AF® supplementation during the transition and early lactation can improve the immune function of dairy cows challenged with intravenous infusion of E. coli lipopolysaccharide. Twenty multiparous crossbred Holstein/Gir pregnant non-lactating cows will be classified according to body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) 30 days previous to the expected calving date and assigned to one of two treatments: 1)diet formulated to meet maintenance and lactation requirements with Omnigen-AF® supplementation (56g/animal/day); or 2) diet formulated to meet maintenance and lactation requirements with kaolin (ruminal inert product) supplementation (56g/animal/day). Animals will be kept in dry lot pens with natural shade and ad libitum water and corn silage. Concentrate and supplementation (Omnigen-AF® or caolin) will be fed individually in a headlock system during all the experimental periods. BW will be recorded weekly and BCS every fifteen days. Milk production will be recorded daily for each animal. On d46 ± 3 of the experiment cows will be challenged with an intravenous infusion of E. coli lipopolysaccharide for evaluation of haptoglobin and TNF-± plasma concentrations. Data will be analyzed using SAS MIXED procedure. Haptoglobin and TNF-± data wil be analyzed as repeated measures. (AU)