Comparison of metabolic, oxidative and inflammatory status of Simmental × Holstein crossbred with parental breeds during the peripartal and early lactation periods

Comparison of lipopolysaccharide-mediated peripheral blood mononuclear cell activation between Brahman and Brahman × Thai native crossbreed cattle

Background and Aims

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a robust endotoxin known to activate the immune system in cattle. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of LPS on the morphology, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in Brahman and Brahman × Thai native crossbreed cattle.

Materials and Methods

PBMCs were isolated from Brahman and Brahman × Thai native crossbreed cattle and treated with 0, 0.1, 1, and 10 μg/mL Escherichia coli LPS, respectively. Morphological changes in PBMCs were assessed at 24 and 48 h. In addition, we measured PBMC cell viability, MDA, NO, and TAC.

Results

LPS stimulation caused cell deformation and partial PBMC area enlargement, but there were no differences between Brahman and Brahman × Thai native crossbreed cattle. Stimulation at all levels did not affect the viability of PBMCs (p > 0.05). MDA and NO levels were significantly higher in Brahman cattle than in Brahman Thai native crossbred cattle (p < 0.05). TAC was significantly higher in Brahman × Thai native crossbred cattle than in Brahman cattle (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Immune cells of crossbreed cattle have a higher activation response to LPS than those of purebred cattle, and native crossbreed beef cattle have a higher antioxidant capacity than purebred beef cattle. This result may explain why hybrid cattle of indigenous breeds are more resistant to disease than purebred cattle.

Genetic polymorphisms in immune- and inflammation-associated genes and their association with bovine mastitis resistance/susceptibility

Bovine mastitis, the inflammation of the mammary gland, is a contagious disease characterized by chemical and physical changes in milk and pathological changes in udder tissues. Depressed immunity and higher expression of inflammatory cytokines with an elevated milk somatic cell count can be observed during mastitis in dairy cattle. The use of somatic cell count (SCC) and somatic cell score (SCS) as correlated traits in the indirect selection of animals against mastitis resistance is in progress globally. Traditional breeding for mastitis resistance seems difficult because of the low heritability (0.10-0.16) of SCC/SCS and clinical mastitis. Thus, genetic-marker-selective breeding to improve host genetics has attracted considerable attention worldwide. Moreover, genomic selection has been found to be an effective and fast method of screening for dairy cattle that are genetically resistant and susceptible to mastitis at a very early age. The current review discusses and summarizes the candidate gene approach using polymorphisms in immune- and inflammation-linked genes (CD4, CD14, CD46, TRAPPC9, JAK2, Tf, Lf, TLRs, CXCL8, CXCR1, CXCR2, C4A, C5, MASP2, MBL1, MBL2, LBP, NCF1, NCF4, MASP2, A2M, and CLU, etc.) and their related signaling pathways (Staphylococcus aureus infection signaling, Toll-like receptor signaling, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, Cytokine-cytokine receptor, and Complement and coagulation cascades, etc.) associated with mastitis resistance and susceptibility phenotypic traits (IL-6, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), IL17, IL8, SCS, and SCC) in dairy cattle.

Effects of Concentrate Levels in Prepartum Diet on Milk Performance, Energy Balance and Rumen Fermentation of Transition Montbéliarde-Holstein Crossbred Cows

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of three rates of prepartum dietary concentrate feeding on the milk performance, energy balance, and rumen fermentation of Montbéliarde−Holstein crossbred cows. Eighteen transition Montbéliarde−Holstein crossbred cows with similar days of gestation (258 ± 12 day) and body weights (622 ± 44 kg) were selected and randomly divided into three groups. In the prepartum period, the addition of concentrates accounted for 0.3% (low concentrate, LC), 0.6% (medium concentrate, MC), and 0.9% (high concentrate, HC) of the cow’s body weight. The forage was corn stover, which was fed to the cows ad libitum with free access to water. Postpartum, all of the cows were fed a common lactation total mixed ration. The experimental period lasted from 21 days prepartum to 28 days postpartum. The energy balance (EB), net energy intake (NEI), and dry matter intake (DMI) of the HC group were greater than those of the other groups (p < 0.05). Likewise, the non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), and total bilirubin (TBIL) in the blood of the LC group had significantly higher concentrations than they did in the other groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, the increase in the level of dietary concentrate had no significant effect on the rumen fermentation parameters (p > 0.05), and the total intestinal digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) in the HC group was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than it was in the other groups during the prepartum period. In conclusion, the administration of the MC diet in the prepartum period had no negative effect on the performance and rumen fermentation of postpartum dairy cows and can satisfy the energy needs of prepartum dairy cows. Therefore, under our experimental conditions, the 0.6% prenatal concentrate feeding amount was the most appropriate for Montbéliarde−Holstein crossbred cows.

Sialyloligosaccharides Content in Mature Milk of Different Cow Breeds

Sialyloligosaccharides (SOS) are bioactive molecules that play an important role in brain development and the increase in immunity in infants. In adults, they act as prebiotics, enhancing protection against microbial pathogens. In the present work, we aimed to analyze the levels of SOS in mature milk, at days 60 and 120 after calving in four cow breeds: Holstein (HO), Simmental × Holstein (SM × HO), Simmental (SM), all fed with total mixed ration (TMR) in intensive production, and Podolica (POD) raised on pasture in an extensive system. The concentrations of SOS (3′-sialyllactose = 3′-SL, 6′-sialyllactose = 6′-SL, 6′-Sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine = 6′-SLN, disialyllactose = DSL, expressed in mg/L) were determined using HPAEC-PAD, a high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Results showed both breed and lactation effects. The contents of 3′-SL, 6′-SL, 6′-SLN, and DSL were higher at 60 than 120 days (p < 0.001), as well as in POD, as compared to the other breeds (p < 0.001). Furthermore, SM showed a significantly greater level of 3′-SL than HO (p < 0.001), as well as a significantly higher level of 6′-SLN in SM than HO (p < 0.001) and SM × HO (p < 0.001). Our findings may have implications for several areas of sustainability that might be used in the cattle management system.