Associations between days on close-up diets and immune responses prepartum, metabolites peripartum, and risk of postpartum diseases in Jersey cows

Nutritional strategies during the final weeks prepartum, the close-up period, aim to reduce immune suppression and metabolic imbalances. This paper reports results of 2 observational studies. Data from 2 previous experiments (study 1) were used to investigate the associations between days fed close-up diets (DINCUD) and uterine diseases (n = 1,230). In study 2, retrospective data from animals not used in study 1 (n = 11,962) were used to investigate the associations between DINCUD and removal from the herd and long-term reproductive and productive responses. Nulliparous (lactation = 0) and parous (lactation >= 1) cows were moved to close-up pens 28 d before expected calving date, but only parous cows were fed rations with negative dietary cation-anion difference. In study 1, study personnel diagnosed retained fetal membranes, metritis, and acute metritis postpartum. Length of the close-up period was tested for its linear and quadratic effects. The beta-coefficients from the multivariable analyses were used to calculate the predicted outcome for each cow. In addition, the mean (+/- SEM) for cows with <10, 28 +/- 3, and 42 +/- 3 DINCUD are reported. Metritis was associated with the interaction between DINCUD and parity-diet (nulliparous: <10 d = 31.8 +/- 9.2, 28 +/- 3 d = 21.8 +/- 0.7, 42 +/- 3 d = 29.8 +/- 2.1%; parous: <10 d = 81.7 +/- 2.9, 28 +/- 3 d = 11.1 +/- 0.3, 42 +/- 3 d = 14.8 +/- 1.3%). The interaction between DINCUD and parity-diet was associated with total energy-corrected milk yield (nulliparous: <= 10 d = 7.91 +/- 0.03, 28 +/- 3 d = 8.17 +/- 0.01, 42 +/- 3 d = 8.15 +/- 0.01 kg x 10(3); parous: >= 10 d = 7.99 +/- 0.05, 28 +/- 3 d = 9.79 +/- 0.01, 42 +/- 3 d = 9.52 +/- 0.03 kg x 10(3)) and percentage of cows pregnant by 305 days in milk (DIM; nulliparous: <= 10 d = 80.4 +/- 0.4, 28 +/- 3 d = 83.3 +/- 0.1, 42 +/- 3 d = 82.8 +/- 0.2%; parous: <= 10 d = 59.5 +/- 0.7, 28 +/- 3 d = 78.3 +/- 0.1, 42 +/- 3 d = 73.1 +/- 0.5%). Furthermore, the interaction between DINCUD and parity-diet was associated with removal from the herd by 305 DIM (nulliparous: <= 10 d = 27.0 +/- 0.5, 28 +/- 3 d = 20.7 +/- 0.1, 42 +/- 3 d = 21.8 +/- 0.1%; parous: <= 10 d = 45.1 +/- 0.7, 28 +/- 3 d = 31.1 +/- 0.1, 42 +/- 3 d = 28.1 +/- 0.3%). Jersey cows that are managed to achieve 28 DINCUD may have reduced odds of uterine diseases and improved reproductive and productive performances.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of nutritional strategies during the prepartum period on uterine diseases, reproductive, and productive performances of dairy cows. The findings suggest that cows managed to achieve 28 days of DINCUD may have reduced odds of uterine diseases and improved reproductive and productive outcomes.