Different reticuloruminal pH metrics of high-yielding dairy cattle during the transition period in relation to metabolic health, activity, and feed intake

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The measurement of pH in the reticulorumen in combination with a time–pH threshold has been widely applied in research to diagnose subacute ruminal acidosis. However, other pH metrics also have biological value. In this study, 44 animals were monitored during the transition period using reticuloruminal pH boluses. Traditional and more complex pH characteristics were calculated to characterize the reticuloruminal pH profile: time pH <6, slope of a logistic cumulative pH curve (β0), and deviations [squared error (SqEr)] from pH predictions based on a harmonic static model. In this study, we aimed to examine the associations between those pH metrics and metabolic health parameters, feed intake, and activity. Finally, to describe the reticuloruminal pH dynamically, we also constructed a dynamic linear model. The results of this model were studied in relation to feed intake. All pH parameters were mutually correlated (particularly β0 and SqEr; mean Pearson correlation of −0.52). pH patterns, rather than time pH <6, were associated with metabolic health and feed intake: high variation in daily pH (β0 parameter) was reflected in higher blood concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids. Moreover, pH deviations of the harmonic model were negatively associated with feed intake and rumination behavior. This research confirms the biological importance of pH metrics focusing on pH variation and pH deviations and provides deeper insight into its associations with metabolic health status, feed intake, and activity during early lactation.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftJournal of Dairy Science
Vol/bind105
Udgave nummer8
Sider (fra-til)6880-6894
Antal sider15
ISSN0022-0302
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2022

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO; Belgium; LA170830). The research of Xiaoping Jing was supported by the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC, China); the PhD research of Stijn Heirbaut was funded by a PhD grant from the Special Research Fund of Ghent University (Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds, BOF, Belgium). The authors gratefully acknowledge the staff from the Animal Science Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for their help during this experiment. We also thank Charlotte Melis (Laboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium), Ilke van Hese [Animal Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Melle, Belgium; Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium] and Mirjan Thys (Animal Sciences Unit, ILVO, Melle, Belgium) for assistance during sampling. The authors have not stated any conflicts of interest.

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© 2022 American Dairy Science Association

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