Prepartum anti-inflammatory therapies in Holstein dairy cows blocked by parity and body condition score group: Effects on metabolic stress, systemic inflammation, performance, and health.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of prepartum administration of anti-inflammatory therapies on body condition score (BCS), ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration, haptoglobin (HP) concentration, milk yield, milk components, rumination time, clinical health events and reproductive performance in Holstein dairy cows. At 14 d before the expected calving date, cows (PAR; n = 170) and heifers (nulliparous [NUL]; n = 63) were blocked by BCS group (optimal = 3-3.5 [OPT]; over-conditioned cows [OVERC; BCS ≥ 3.75 pts.]) and parity (NUL; PAR) and randomly allocated to one of 3 treatment groups: 1) ASA (n = 78): receive one oral administration of acetylsalicylic acid (4 boluses; 480 grain/bolus); 2) MEL (n = 76): receive one oral administration with meloxicam (1mg/kg of BW), or 3) PLC (n = 77): receive one oral treatment with gelatin capsules filled with water. Body condition score was assessed, and blood samples were collected, weekly starting one week before treatment until 3 weeks after calving. Daily milk yields and daily rumination times were collected from on-farm computer records. Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) monthly test data were collected to assess milk yield, somatic cell counts, and milk components. Furthermore, health events, culling rate, and reproductive performance data were collected from on-farm computer records. The data were analyzed using MIXED, GLIMMIX, and LIFETEST procedures of SAS as a randomized complete block design. On average, MEL-NUL cows produced 4.77 ± 0.93 kg/d and 4.81 ± 0.92 kg/d more milk from wk 6 to wk 21 of lactation compared with ASA-NUL and PLC-NUL cows, respectively. Similarly, there was a week by treatment by body condition group interaction (P = 0.01), where OVERC cows treated with MEL produced more milk from wk 10 to wk 15 of lactation compared with ASA- OVERC and PLC-OVERC cows. Parous cows treated with ASA had lower BCS compared with PAR cows treated with MEL or PLC. A lower percentage of OVERC cows treated with ASA became sick in the first 60 DIM compared with MEL- OVERC and PLC- OVERC cows (ASA = 23.88 ± 7.26%, MEL = 46.36 ± 8.57%; PLC = 46.74 ± 8.53%; P = 0.04). Parous cows treated with ASA had (P = 0.03) a higher hazard ratio to become pregnant by 300 DIM compared with PAR MEL cows. Although the study was not sized for finding treatment differences in blocking criteria groups, these results suggest that treatment with prepartum anti-inflammatory therapies may have positive effects on milk yield and postpartum health in specific groups of cows, such as NUL and OVERC cows, while it may not be recommended for other animal categories, such as parous cows and cows with optimal BCS. Larger studies are needed to strengthen the associations observed in this study.

Exploring vaginal discharge scoring to assess clinical metritis severity: Comparison between intrauterine dextrose and systemic antibiotics treatments.

The objectives of this study were to assess: 1) differences in the metabolic status, systemic inflammation, daily milk yield, and daily rumination time between Holstein dairy cows with different vaginal discharge scores (VDS) in the first 7±3 DIM, and 2) effects of intrauterine dextrose infusion on metabolic status, systemic inflammation, daily milk yield and daily rumination time in dairy cows with VDS4 and VDS5. Cows (n=641) from a farm located in central Pennsylvania were screened at 7±3 DIM (study d 0) to assess vaginal discharge scores. Vaginal discharge was scored using a five-point scale (i.e., 1- clear fluid, 2- <50% white purulent fluid, 3- >50% white purulent fluid, 4- red-brownish fluid without fetid smell, and 5- fetid red-brownish watery fluid). Cows with VDS4 and VDS5 were blocked by parity and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: 1) CONV (VDS4 n=15; VDS5 n= 23): two injections of ceftiofur (per label; 6.6 mg/Kg) 72 h apart; and 2) DEX (VDS4 n=15; VDS5 n=22): three intrauterine infusions of a 50% dextrose solution (1 L/cow) every 24 h. Cows that presented a VDS 1, 2, and 3 were categorized as normal vaginal discharge animals (NOMVDS; n=35) and were randomly selected and matched by parity to CONV and DEX cows. Daily milk yield and rumination time for the first 150 DIM were collected from on-farm computer records. Blood samples were collected to assess haptoglobin (HP) and ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations at study d 0, d 7, and d 14 relative to enrollment. Subclinical ketosis was defined as having a BHB concentration >1.2 mmol/dL at any of the sampling points. The data were analyzed using the MIXED and GLIMMIX procedures of SAS as a randomized complete block design. When comparing cows with different VDS (i.e., NOMVDS, VDS4, VDS5) separately, cows with VDS5 had the highest concentration of HP at enrollment compared to cows with VDS4 and NOMVDS; however, cows with VDS4 had higher concentrations of HP compared to cows with NOMVDS. Cows with VDS4 or VDS5 had a higher incidence of subclinical ketosis compared to cows with NOMVDS (p=0.005; VDS4= 62.08±9.16%; VDS5=74.44±6.74%; NOMVDS=34.36±8.53%). Similarly, daily milk yield (p<.0001; VDS4=30.17±1.32 kg/d; VDS5=27.40±1.27 kg/d; NOMVDS=35.14±1.35 kg/d) and daily rumination time (p=0.001; VDS4=490.77±19.44 min; VDS5=465±16.67 min; NOMVDS=558.29±18.80 min) was lower for cows with VDS4 and VDS5 compared to cows with NOMVDS at 7±3 days in milk. When analyzing HP concentration between treatment groups in cows with VDS4 (p=0.70), VDS5 (p=0.25), or VDS4 and VDS5 combined (p=0.31), there was no difference in HP concentration by study d 14 between treatment groups. Interestingly, when only cows with VDS4 were considered for treatment, both treatments, DEX and CONV, increased the daily milk yield to the levels of NOMVDS cows by 14 days in milk. On the other hand, when only cows with VDS5 were considered for treatment, cows treated with DEX produced, on average, 4.48 kg/d less milk in the first 150 days in milk compared to cows treated with CONV or cows that had NOMVDS. Similarly, when cows with either VDS4 or VDS5 were considered for treatment, DEX treatment also impaired milk yield. These results suggest that cows with either VDS 4 or 5 have an altered inflammatory status, and decreased milk yield and rumination compared to cows with NOMVDS. Furthermore, DEX treatment may have similar effects on daily milk yield and metabolic status compared to CONV in cows with VDS4, while DEX is not recommended for cows with VDS5.

Assessment of the effects of prepartum anti-inflammatory therapies on type 1/type 2 immunity ratio using a rapid blood test.

The objective of this study was to assess (1) the effects of prepartum administration of anti-inflammatory therapies on type 1/type 2 immunity ratio using a rapid blood test (D2Dx immunity test; Nano Discovery Inc.), and (2) correlations between rapid blood test scores and daily milk yield in Holstein dairy cows. At 14 d before the expected calving date, cows (n = 64) and heifers (n = 23) were blocked by body condition score (optimal = 3.25-3.5; high ≥3.75) and parity (nulliparous, parous), and randomly allocated to one of 3 treatment groups (1) ASA (n = 29) = receive one oral treatment with administration of acetylsalicylic acid (4 boluses; 480 grain/bolus); (2) MEL (n = 31) = receive one oral administration with meloxicam (1 mg/kg of body weight), or (3) PLC (n = 27) = receive one oral treatment with 4 gelatin capsules filled with water. Blood samples were collected weekly starting 1 wk before treatment until 3 wk after calving for assessment of type 1/type 2 immunity ratio using a rapid blood test (i.e., D2Dx immunity test). A higher D2Dx score corresponds to a higher type 1/type 2 ratio. Furthermore, blood samples were collected within 72 h before and after calving by farm personnel. Daily milk yield for the first 60 d in milk (DIM) was collected from on-farm computer records. The data were analyzed using MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc.) as a randomized complete block design. On average enrolled cows received treatment administration 10 d before the actual calving date (standard deviation = 5.10 d). There was a tendency for a treatment by day interaction. Cows treated with ASA had higher type 1/type 2 ratio within 3 d after calving compared with MEL and PLC cows (ASA = 0.065 ± 0.002; MEL = 0.059 ± 0.002; PLC = 0.053 ± 0.002). Similarly, ASA and MEL cows had a higher type 1/type 2 ratio at 7 ± 3 DIM compared with PLC cows (ASA = 0.062 ± 0.002; MEL = 0.064 ± 0.002; PLC = 0.056 ± 0.002). Regardless of treatment, there was an interaction between parity and day. Parous cows had higher type 1/type 2 ratios compared with nulliparous cows at 14 ± 3 d before calving and at 7 ± 3, 14 ± 3, and 21 ± 3 d after calving. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between D2Dx scores at 14 ± 3 DIM and average daily milk yield in the first 60 DIM. These results suggest that prepartum anti-inflammatory therapies may cause an increased shift in type 1 immunity around calving. Similarly, parous cows may have an increased shift in type 1 immunity after calving. Interestingly, higher type 1/type 2 ratios may be associated with higher milk yields in the first 60 DIM. Larger studies are needed to identify associations between the D2Dx immunity test and cow health and performance, as well as to assess the applicability of these types of tests in a conventional farm setting.