Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows

ABSTRACT: The transition from late gestation to early lactation in dairy cows involves dynamic metabolic adaptations orchestrated by homeorhetic mechanisms, including hepatic fatty acid and AA metabolism. To gain deeper understanding of these mechanisms, we evaluated changes in bloodspot acylcarniti...

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Main Authors: Pius Lutakome, Stijn Heirbaut, Muluken Mulat Girma, Mingqi Zhang, Xiaoping Jing, Karolien Hertogs, Katleen Geerinckx, Els Stevens, Ben Aernouts, Leen Vandaele, Denis Asizua, Fred Kabi, Veerle Fievez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Journal of Dairy Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225001158
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author Pius Lutakome
Stijn Heirbaut
Muluken Mulat Girma
Mingqi Zhang
Xiaoping Jing
Karolien Hertogs
Katleen Geerinckx
Els Stevens
Ben Aernouts
Leen Vandaele
Denis Asizua
Fred Kabi
Veerle Fievez
author_facet Pius Lutakome
Stijn Heirbaut
Muluken Mulat Girma
Mingqi Zhang
Xiaoping Jing
Karolien Hertogs
Katleen Geerinckx
Els Stevens
Ben Aernouts
Leen Vandaele
Denis Asizua
Fred Kabi
Veerle Fievez
author_sort Pius Lutakome
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: The transition from late gestation to early lactation in dairy cows involves dynamic metabolic adaptations orchestrated by homeorhetic mechanisms, including hepatic fatty acid and AA metabolism. To gain deeper understanding of these mechanisms, we evaluated changes in bloodspot acylcarnitines (AC) and free AA profiles, and conventional blood biomarkers of energy balance (BHB, nonesterified fatty acids [NEFA], glucose, insulin, IGF-1, and fructosamine) along with weekly milk composition and DMI in 2 sequential observational trials. Data were analyzed using correlation and cluster analysis, and linear mixed-effects models with and without repeated measures. Study 1, which involved 28 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows sampled 7 d before calving and at 3, 6, 9 and 21 d after calving, revealed strong positive correlations between glycine-to-alanine ratio with BHB (r = 0.58) and NEFA (r = 0.59), though these correlations weakened in study 2. Four trajectory patterns in AC, AA, and metabolite ratios were identified. Group 1 (e.g., C5, C16, and C18) showed transient postpartum increase peaking by d 3 or 6, returning to prepartum levels by d 21. Group 2 (e.g., tyrosine, C0:(C16 + C18) exhibited transient postpartum decrease, normalizing by d 21. Group 3 (e.g., C4DC:C3, t[AC]:C0, and valine-to-phenylalanine ratio) displayed variable postpartum responses, whereas group 4 exhibited persistent differences at d 21, with elevated glycine-to-alanine and valine-to-leucine ratios but reduced methionine and ornithine-to-citrulline ratio compared with prepartum levels. Study 2, which examined intercow variations and comprised of 74 cows (83 lactations) sampled at 21 DIM, revealed 2 distinct clusters of clinically healthy cows based on longitudinal time serum BHB profiles: normal and high milk yield–hyperketonemia (HMY-HYK). The HMY-HYK cows had higher milk yield (41.6 ± 1.05 vs. 39.4 ± 0.767 kg/d), average serum BHB and NEFA (0.996 ± 0.086 vs. 0.754 ± 0.062 mmol/L and 0.498 ± 0.051 vs. 0.534 ± 0.071 mmol/L, respectively) and lower insulin (0.343 ± 0.030 vs. 0.368 ± 0.041ng/mL) compared with cows in the normal cluster. The higher milk yield, increased milk urea concentrations, and reduced bloodspot citrulline levels in the HMY-HYK cows suggest enhanced AA catabolism for gluconeogenesis and reduced activity in the ornithine-citrulline cycle. Elevated bloodspot malonylcarnitine, long-chain AC (LCAC) with C16 and C18 carbon chains, acetylcarnitine-to-free carnitine (C2:C0) ratio but lower free carnitine (C0) levels indicate efficient mitochondrial responses, potentially exporting acyl-CoA as C2 and LCAC to mitigate metabolic stress associated with elevated NEFA. In conclusion, bloodspot AC, AA, and metabolite ratios highlight time-dependent and interanimal shifts in adipose and muscle mobilization, as well as adaptive mitochondrial metabolism of NEFA and AA catabolism to support gluconeogenesis and thus, milk synthesis in early lactation.
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spelling doaj-art-c1d9000780b44e7e9fc0d72229e5954b2025-08-20T03:13:48ZengElsevierJournal of Dairy Science0022-03022025-05-0110855382540410.3168/jds.2024-25646Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cowsPius Lutakome0Stijn Heirbaut1Muluken Mulat Girma2Mingqi Zhang3Xiaoping Jing4Karolien Hertogs5Katleen Geerinckx6Els Stevens7Ben Aernouts8Leen Vandaele9Denis Asizua10Fred Kabi11Veerle Fievez12Laboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Mountains of the Moon University, PO Box 837, Fort Portal, UgandaLaboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumLaboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumLaboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumState Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaLaboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumLaboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Hooibeekhoeve, 2440 Geel, BelgiumHooibeekhoeve, 2440 Geel, BelgiumKU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Division of Animal and Human Health Engineering, Campus Geel, 2440 Geel, BelgiumAnimal Sciences Unit, ILVO, 9090 Melle, BelgiumNational Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Kampala, UgandaDepartment of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, UgandaLaboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Corresponding authorABSTRACT: The transition from late gestation to early lactation in dairy cows involves dynamic metabolic adaptations orchestrated by homeorhetic mechanisms, including hepatic fatty acid and AA metabolism. To gain deeper understanding of these mechanisms, we evaluated changes in bloodspot acylcarnitines (AC) and free AA profiles, and conventional blood biomarkers of energy balance (BHB, nonesterified fatty acids [NEFA], glucose, insulin, IGF-1, and fructosamine) along with weekly milk composition and DMI in 2 sequential observational trials. Data were analyzed using correlation and cluster analysis, and linear mixed-effects models with and without repeated measures. Study 1, which involved 28 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows sampled 7 d before calving and at 3, 6, 9 and 21 d after calving, revealed strong positive correlations between glycine-to-alanine ratio with BHB (r = 0.58) and NEFA (r = 0.59), though these correlations weakened in study 2. Four trajectory patterns in AC, AA, and metabolite ratios were identified. Group 1 (e.g., C5, C16, and C18) showed transient postpartum increase peaking by d 3 or 6, returning to prepartum levels by d 21. Group 2 (e.g., tyrosine, C0:(C16 + C18) exhibited transient postpartum decrease, normalizing by d 21. Group 3 (e.g., C4DC:C3, t[AC]:C0, and valine-to-phenylalanine ratio) displayed variable postpartum responses, whereas group 4 exhibited persistent differences at d 21, with elevated glycine-to-alanine and valine-to-leucine ratios but reduced methionine and ornithine-to-citrulline ratio compared with prepartum levels. Study 2, which examined intercow variations and comprised of 74 cows (83 lactations) sampled at 21 DIM, revealed 2 distinct clusters of clinically healthy cows based on longitudinal time serum BHB profiles: normal and high milk yield–hyperketonemia (HMY-HYK). The HMY-HYK cows had higher milk yield (41.6 ± 1.05 vs. 39.4 ± 0.767 kg/d), average serum BHB and NEFA (0.996 ± 0.086 vs. 0.754 ± 0.062 mmol/L and 0.498 ± 0.051 vs. 0.534 ± 0.071 mmol/L, respectively) and lower insulin (0.343 ± 0.030 vs. 0.368 ± 0.041ng/mL) compared with cows in the normal cluster. The higher milk yield, increased milk urea concentrations, and reduced bloodspot citrulline levels in the HMY-HYK cows suggest enhanced AA catabolism for gluconeogenesis and reduced activity in the ornithine-citrulline cycle. Elevated bloodspot malonylcarnitine, long-chain AC (LCAC) with C16 and C18 carbon chains, acetylcarnitine-to-free carnitine (C2:C0) ratio but lower free carnitine (C0) levels indicate efficient mitochondrial responses, potentially exporting acyl-CoA as C2 and LCAC to mitigate metabolic stress associated with elevated NEFA. In conclusion, bloodspot AC, AA, and metabolite ratios highlight time-dependent and interanimal shifts in adipose and muscle mobilization, as well as adaptive mitochondrial metabolism of NEFA and AA catabolism to support gluconeogenesis and thus, milk synthesis in early lactation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225001158acylcarnitinesbloodspotsdairy cowsmetabolic clustermetabolite ratio
spellingShingle Pius Lutakome
Stijn Heirbaut
Muluken Mulat Girma
Mingqi Zhang
Xiaoping Jing
Karolien Hertogs
Katleen Geerinckx
Els Stevens
Ben Aernouts
Leen Vandaele
Denis Asizua
Fred Kabi
Veerle Fievez
Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows
Journal of Dairy Science
acylcarnitines
bloodspots
dairy cows
metabolic cluster
metabolite ratio
title Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows
title_full Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows
title_fullStr Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows
title_full_unstemmed Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows
title_short Temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in Holstein dairy cows
title_sort temporal and interanimal variation in bloodspot acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles in relation to conventional metabolites and hormones in holstein dairy cows
topic acylcarnitines
bloodspots
dairy cows
metabolic cluster
metabolite ratio
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022030225001158
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