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. 2021 Mar 6;11(3):722.
doi: 10.3390/ani11030722.

Characterization of Short-Term Heat Stress in Holstein Dairy Cows Using Altered Indicators of Metabolomics, Blood Parameters, Milk MicroRNA-216 and Characteristics

Jang-Hoon Jo  1 , Jalil Ghassemi Nejad  1 , Dong-Qiao Peng  1 , Hye-Ran Kim  2 , Sang-Ho Kim  2 , Hong-Gu Lee  1
Affiliations

Characterization of Short-Term Heat Stress in Holstein Dairy Cows Using Altered Indicators of Metabolomics, Blood Parameters, Milk MicroRNA-216 and Characteristics

Jang-Hoon Jo et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

This study aims to characterize the influence of short-term heat stress (HS; 4 day) in early lactating Holstein dairy cows, in terms of triggering blood metabolomics and parameters, milk yield and composition, and milk microRNA expression. Eight cows (milk yield = 30 ± 1.5 kg/day, parity = 1.09 ± 0.05) were homogeneously housed in environmentally controlled chambers, assigned into two groups with respect to the temperature humidity index (THI) at two distinct levels: approximately ~71 (low-temperature, low-humidity; LTLH) and ~86 (high-temperature, high-humidity; HTHH). Average feed intake (FI) dropped about 10 kg in the HTHH group, compared with the LTLH group (p = 0.001), whereas water intake was only numerically higher (p = 0.183) in the HTHH group than in the LTLH group. Physiological parameters, including rectal temperature (p = 0.001) and heart rate (p = 0.038), were significantly higher in the HTHH group than in the LTLH group. Plasma cortisol and haptoglobin were higher (p < 0.05) in the HTHH group, compared to the LTLH group. Milk yield, milk fat yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk (FCM), and energy-corrected milk (ECM) were lower (p < 0.05) in the HTHH group than in the LTLH group. Higher relative expression of milk miRNA-216 was observed in the HTHH group (p < 0.05). Valine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, lactic acid, 3-phenylpropionic acid, 1,5-anhydro-D-sorbitol, myo-inositol, and urea were decreased (p < 0.05). These results suggest that early lactating cows are more vulnerable to short-term (4 day) high THI levels-that is, HTHH conditions-compared with LTLH, considering the enormous negative effects observed in measured blood metabolomics and parameters, milk yield and compositions, and milk miRNA-216 expression.

Keywords: heat stress characterization; heat stress indicators; lactating Holstein cow; metabolomics.

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Conflict of interest statement

We certify that there are no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
MicroRNA-216 alteration in dairy cows exposed to two distinct environmental conditions. Values (mean ± SEM) with asterisk (*) differ significantly, compared to the LTLH group (p < 0.05).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Blood metabolomics in dairy cows exposed to two distinct environmental conditions.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Metabolomics in dairy cows (n = 4) exposed to two distinct environmental conditions. Serum was assessed. LTLH vs. HTHH; VIP > 1.0, p < 0.05. Values (mean ± SEM) with asterisk (*) differ significantly, compared to the LTLH group (p < 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Metabolic pathway map related to metabolic profiling in serum, according to the effects of heat stress in the LTLH and HTHH groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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