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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Madison, Wisconsin » U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center » Dairy Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #345273

Research Project: Forage Characteristics and Utilization that Improve Efficiency of Growth, Performance, Nutrient Use, and Environmental Impacts of Dairy Production

Location: Dairy Forage Research

Title: Infusion of butyrate affects plasma glucose, butyrate, and ß-hydroxybutyrate but not plasma insulin in lactating dairy cows

Author
item HERRICK, KEVIN - South Dakota State University
item HIPPEN, ARNOLD - South Dakota State University
item Kalscheur, Kenneth
item SCHINGOETHE, DAVID - South Dakota State University
item RANATHUNGA, SANJEEWA - South Dakota State University
item ANDERSON, JILL - South Dakota State University
item MORELAND, STEVEN - Nutriad Inc
item VAN EYS, JAN - Gans, Inc

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/5/2017
Publication Date: 4/1/2018
Citation: Herrick, K.J., Hippen, A.R., Kalscheur, K., Schingoethe, D.J., Ranathunga, S.D., Anderson, J.L., Moreland, S.C., Van Eys, J.E. 2018. Infusion of butyrate affects plasma glucose, butyrate, and ß-hydroxybutyrate but not plasma insulin in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science. 101:3524–3536. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13842.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13842

Interpretive Summary: Butyrate supplementation has been shown to benefit pre-ruminants (such as young calves) because it improves growth rate and feed conversion rate in calves before and during weaning. Butryrate supplementation in pre-weaned piglets has also been shown to improve intestinal health. However, benefits to mature ruminants such as dairy cows have not been thoroughly investigated. Butyrate can be metabolized in the rumen or by the animal and can be a source of energy to the cow. This research demonstrated that butyrate infused into either the rumen or the abomasum (first and fourth compartments of stomach) of lactating dairy cows increased both plasma butyrate and plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate, but decreased plasma glucose. This research will be of interest to researchers, nutritionists, and dairy producers interested in increasing energy supply to the cow and potentially improving cow health.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this research was to investigate the effects on plasma metabolites and rumen measures when butyrate was infused into the rumen or abomasum of lactating cows. Jugular catheters were inserted into 5 ruminally fistulated Holstein cows (94.2 ± 26.3 days in milk [DIM]; 717 ± 45 kg body weight [BW]) in a 5 × 5 Latin square with 3-d periods. Cows were infused for 24 h with one of 5 treatments: water (CON), 1 g/kg of BW of butyrate infused into either the abomasum (A1) or rumen (R1), or 2 g/kg of BW of butyrate infused into either the abomasum (A2) or rumen (R2). Sodium butyrate was the source of butyrate, and NaCl was added to the CON, A1, and R1 treatments to provide the same amount of sodium as supplied by the sodium butyrate treatment in the 2-g treatments. Plastisol flanges were inserted into the abomasum to allow infusion to the abomasum, and peristaltic pumps provided continuous infusion at 9.3 mL/min for all treatments. The concentration of NaCl and sodium butyrate was varied in the infusate to provide the correct infusion amount. Rumen fluid samples were collected at -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 28, and 32 h relative to starting dosing. Serial blood samples were collected at -2, -1, 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24, 26, 28, and 32 h relative to starting dosing. Compared with CON, infusing butyrate increased both plasma butyrate and plasma ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) while plasma glucose decreased. Increasing butyrate infusion from 1 g to 2 g increased plasma butyrate, tended to decrease plasma glucose, and tended to increase plasma BHB. Compared with abomasal infusion, rumen infusion of butyrate increased rumen butyrate, did not affect plasma glucose, and tended to increase plasma BHB. Treatment had no effect on plasma insulin. Results demonstrated that site of infusion and amount of butyrate affected several plasma metabolites when butyrate was infused in lactating dairy cows over a period of 24 h.