During the transition period, dairy cows exhibit an insulin resistance status to compensate for the negative energy balance phenomenon that is called glucose sparing effect. Insulin responses play a critical role for a successful nutrient partitioning as insulin resistance limits glucose uptake by peripheral tissues and prioritizes high glucose demand by the mammary gland.
Global Product Specialist
ADM
TRANSITION PERIOD CHALLENGE
The transition period for dairy cows is a challenging time due to all metabolic changes that take place going from a non-lactating to a lactating state. Nutrient partitioning must switch to support milk production in the mammary gland, but the increase in energy requirement cannot be fulfilled by ingested nutrients alone. This imbalance results in adipose tissue mobilization since there are insufficient glucose precursors available for gluconeogenesis in order to support milk production. Consequently, ketosis occurrence is the most prevalent metabolic disease in early lactation and often is associated with other metabolic diseases, including fatty liver disease, displaced abomasum, retained placenta and metritis.
INSULIN ROLE
During the transition period, dairy cows exhibit an insulin resistance status to compensate for the negative energy balance phenomenon that is called glucose sparing effect. Insulin responses play a critical role for a successful nutrient partitioning as insulin resistance limits glucose uptake by peripheral tissues and prioritizes high glucose demand by the mammary gland.
To support the glucose sparing effect, it was thus hypothesized that low systemic insulin levels could contribute even more to minimize glucose absorption in peripheral tissue. Therefore, nutrition impacts on insulin secretion raised interest to assist dairy cows in mitigating potential early lactation challenges.
CAPSAICINOIDS DESCRIPTION AND EFFECT
Capsaicinoids are pungent compounds from red chili peppers, with capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin being the main active components. Capsaicinoids have a demonstrated effect on feed intake, enzymatic secretion and immune response.
More recently, an effect on energy metabolism in dairy cows was also observed. A study investigated the effect of rumen protected capsaicinoids (RPC) supplementation in dairy cows during a glucose tolerance test and showed a decrease in serum insulin concentration while glucose concentration was not affected. It was correlated with a tendency to increase milk production and feed efficiency. These results suggested that by decreasing insulin secretion, rumen protected capsaicinoids may have redirected glucose for milk production. Thus, capsaicinoids may be of interest to address early lactation challenges faced by dairy cows.
RUMEN PROTECTED CAPSAICINOIDS DURING TRANSITION PERIOD AND EARLY LACTATION – PERFORMANCE BENEFITS
Performance studies were then completed to confirm the interest of RPC supplementation to improve milk performance in early lactation.
A first study was conducted by University of São Paulo – Brazil with 24 Holstein dairy cows supplemented with RPC from 28 days of the expected calving date until 56 days of lactation. Milk yield, fat-corrected milk and feed efficiency were statistically improved for cows supplemented with RPC (Table 1).
Interestingly, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were similar between treatment groups during the pre- and post-partum periods, which suggested that increased milk yield was not due to higher fat reserves mobilization.
A second study was performed in the USA with 105 dairy cows milked with an automatic milking system. Cows were supplemented with RPC from 21 days before expected calving date until 60 days in milk. Milk yield was increased (42.1. and 44.7 kg/cow/day for control and RPC, respectively, Figure 1). Milk fat was also greater and milk protein tended to be greater, leading to an 8.6% increase in energy corrected milk.
CONCLUSION
By supporting glucose sparing and gluconeogenesis, feeding rumen protected capsicum during the transition period and early lactation has shown to improve production performance without affecting body fat mobilization.
References
1. Oh, J., Harper, M., Giallongo, F., Bravo, D. M., Wall, E. H., & Hristov, A. N. (2017). Effects of rumen-protected Capsicum oleoresin on productivity and responses to a glucose tolerance test in lactating dairy cows. Journal of dairy science, 100(3), 1888-1901.
2. Takiya, C. S., Grigoletto, N. T., Chesini, R. G., Sbaralho, O. P., Bugoni, M., Vittorazzi Jr, P. C., … & Rennó, F. P. (2023). Feeding rumen-protected Capsicum oleoresin to dairy cows during the transition period and early lactation: Effects on nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, and performance. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 305, 115758.
3. Acetoze, G., & Preisinger, K. (2022). The effect of feeding rumen-protected capsicum during the transition period on performance of early lactation dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 105, 24-25.
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About Sebastien Constantin
Sebastien Constantin is a Global Product Specialist for the bioactive range offered by ADM’s animal nutrition business. He joined ADM in January 2019. He holds a MSc in animal nutrition from Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture d’Angers – France. Constantin has 20 years of experience in the field of animal nutrition with technical support and product management functions.
