Circadian rhythm of metabolic changes associated with summer heat stress in high-producing dairy cattle

ISSN： 0049-4747

Source： Tropical Animal Health and Production, Vol.42, Iss.6, 2010-08, pp. : 1119-1125

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Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the circadian rhythm of blood metabolic parameters associated with summer heat stress (HS) in dairy cows. Ten healthy lactating Holstein Friesian cows were followed during HS for three successive days at six different time points. Blood was sampled from each cow starting from 07:00 am; at 4-h intervals. Ambient air temperature and relative humidity were recorded, and temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated as well. Respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) were recorded for each cow at the time of blood sampling. Concentrations of glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), total cholesterol (TC) and urea were measured in each blood sample. The THI values were >68 at all times of the day, and the highest values were recorded at 11:00 am, 03:00 pm and 07:00 pm (80.9, 83.7, and 80.8, respectively). All the cows showed a significantly higher RR and RT coinciding with higher THI values (93 ± 4 and 39.6 ± 0.1; 90.2 ± 3.4, and 40.1 ± 0.1; 87.6 ± 4.1, and 39.8 ± 0.1, respectively, P < 0.05). the="" concentrations="" of="" glucose="" were="" the="" lowest="" at="" 11:00 am="" and="" 03:00 pm="" (3.75 ± 0.1="" and="" 3.44 ± 0.1 mmol/l,="" respectively,="">P < 0.05). decreased="" glucose="" concentrations="" coincided="" with="" increased="" nefa="" concentrations,="" (0.43 ± 0.01="" and="" 0.56 ± 0.02 mmol/l,="" respectively,="">P < 0.05), and="" were="" highly="" negatively="" correlated="">r = −0.50, P < 0.001). the="" highest="" urea="" and="" tc="" concentrations="" were="" registered="" at="" 11:00 am="" (6.11 ± 0.15 mmol/l="" and="" 109.9 ± 2.2 mg/dl,="" respectively)="" whereas="" the="" lowest="" urea="" and="" tc="" values="" were="" recorded="" at="" 03:00 am="" (4.97 ± 0.18 mmol/l="" and="" 99.5 ± 1.7 mg/dl,="" respectively,="">P < 0.05). the="" results="" of="" the="" present="" study="" indicate="" that="" there="" was="" a="" circadian="" variation="" in="" glucose,="" nefa,="" urea,="" and="" tc="" resulting="" in="" the="" most="" unfavorable="" metabolic="" condition="" during="" the="" hottest="" moment="" of="" the="" day="" in="" dairy="" cattle.="" earlier="" work="" revealed="" that="" hs-metabolic="" changes="" are="" reflected="" in="" the="" follicular="" fluid.="" the="" circadian="" changes="" observed="" in="" the="" present="" study="" associated="" with="" hs="" may="" imply="" that="" also="" the="" microenvironment="" of="" the="" oocyte="" is="" affected.="">