Monitoring the Milk Composition, Milk Microbiota, and Blood Metabolites of Jersey Cows throughout a Lactation Period

Simple Summary The shift to the sustainable production of quality milk has led to the increased breeding of Jersey cows. This study examined the milk composition, milk microbiota, and blood metabolites throughout the lactation period of Jersey cows, producing a peak milk yield of more than 25 kg/d. The prevalent families of the milk microbiota changed intermittently during the lactation period. Contamination of the environmental microbiota in milk was coupled with elevated plasma non-esterified fatty acids, haptoglobin, and aspartate transaminase levels. Thus, impaired metabolic function during the early lactation period may increase the invasion of opportunistic bacteria. This study aimed to determine how milk composition, milk microbiota, and blood metabolites may change during the lactation period in Jersey cows. Milk and jugular blood samples were collected from eight healthy cows every other month from the beginning to the end of their lactation period. Samples of airborne dust were also collected to determine whether the cowshed microbiota could affect milk microbiota. Milk yield peaked in the first two months and gradually decreased as the lactation period progressed. Milk fat, protein, and solids-not-fat contents were low in the first month, and then increased during the middle and late lactation periods. In the first month, plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), haptoglobin (Hp), and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels were elevated, and high abundances of Burkholderiaceae and Oxalobacteraceae were observed in milk and airborne dust microbiota. The finding that contamination of the environmental microbiota in milk was coupled with elevated plasma NEFA, Hp, and AST levels indicated that impaired metabolic function during the early lactation period may increase the invasion of opportunistic bacteria. This study can affirm the importance of feeding and cowshed management and should provide a helpful addition to improving Jersey cow farming.

Automated summary

This study examined the changes in milk composition, milk microbiota, and blood metabolites during the lactation period of Jersey cows. The results show that the milk microbiota and environmental microbiota in milk are associated with metabolic function and can affect the invasion of opportunistic bacteria.