Prepartum Fat Mobilization in Dairy Cows with Equal Body Condition and Its Impact on Health, Behavior, Milk Production and Fertility during Lactation

SIMPLE SUMMARY: An excess of lipolysis and subsequent increase on non-esterified fatty acids concentrations may impair animal health, welfare, and productivity after calving. In this study, we evaluated the effect of fat mobilization in dairy cows with a recommended body condition score at the beginning of the close-up period on blood indicators of health, incidence of diseases, behavior, milk production, and fertility during postpartum. An increased fat mobilization in dairy cows with an equal body condition score modified the inflammatory and oxidative stress responses during the early postpartum without impairing their health status and fertility. Moreover, behavior and milk production were sensitive indicators that reflected the negative effects of the excess of prepartum fat mobilization through lactation. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two levels of fat mobilization at the close-up period in dairy cows with an equal body condition score (BCS = 3.0) on the circulating concentrations of metabolic, inflammatory, and oxidative stress biomarkers, incidence of diseases, behavior, milk production, and fertility during the postpartum. Late-gestation multiparous Holstein cows (n = 59) with a body condition score of 3.0 (5-point scale) were enrolled at the beginning of the close-up period and then were followed during the entire lactation. Cows were retrospectively allocated into two groups: animals with prepartum non-esterified fatty acids concentration over 0.3 mmol/L were categorized as high fat mobilization (HFM) (n = 26), and below this threshold as low fat mobilization (LFM) (n = 33). Blood samples were collected 21 d before expected calving and once weekly for 3 wk postpartum in order to analyze β-hydroxybutirate, haptoglobin, fibrinogen, total proteins, and malondialdehyde. Health was observed daily for 21 d postpartum. Behavioral data was collected with an accelerometer and milk production and fertility were obtained from the farm records. An increased fat mobilization in dairy cows with equal BCS modified the inflammatory and oxidative stress responses during the early postpartum without impairing their health status and fertility. Moreover, milk production and behavior were markedly affected by excessive prepartum fat mobilization through lactation.