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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Liver functionality and its association with milk production and ovarian activity in dairy cows

Arturo Geovany Fuentes-Castillo A , Carolina Bespalhok Jacometo B , José Isaac Norato A , Edil Enrique Araúz-Santamaría A and Pablo Montero-Prado https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1471-2741 C *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Departamento de Zootecnia, Centro de Enseñanza e Investigación Agropecuarias de Chiriquí (CEIACHI), Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de Panamá, Corregimiento de Chiriquí, 3366. Bella Vista, Manuel E. Batista y Avenue José De Fábrega, Panama City, Panamá.

B Departamento de Ciencia Animal, Facultad Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá 110231, Colombia.

C Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Centro de Innovación y Transferencia Tecnológica, Sistema Nacional de Investigación, SENACYT, 0819-07289, El Dorado, Avenida Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá, Vía Puente Centenario, Campus Metropolitano Víctor Levi Sasso, Panamá, República de Panamá.

* Correspondence to: pablo.montero@utp.ac.pa

Handling Editor: Sathya Velmurugan

Animal Production Science 65, AN24395 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN24395
Submitted: 7 December 2024  Accepted: 21 February 2025  Published: 13 March 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

The liver function index (LFI) is a marker that reflects liver function and could be a tool to identify adequate conditions for ovarian functionality and improve milk production capacity during the transition period in the dairy cow.

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate LFI according to dietary changes, and its relationship with milk production and the onset of ovarian activity.

Methods

Thirty dairy cows were randomly selected into two experimental groups: CON (supplemented with concentrate) and MIX (supplemented with corn and soybean plants silage). Blood samples were taken on the 3rd and 28th days after calving and analyzed for bilirubin (mg/dL), cholesterol (mg/dL), and albumin (g/L) to calculate the LFI. The study variables identified were weight loss at 28 days, milk production at 7 (initial) and 28 days, ovarian and follicular size, and days to first estrus. A two-factor split-plot animal design was used.

Key results

The diets (CON or MIX) did not affect any of the studied variables. However, cows with a LFI greater than zero (LFI > 0) had higher initial and 28-day milk production (r = 0.41 and r = 0.80, respectively). Additionally, LFI was positively correlated with transverse (r = 0.28) and longitudinal (r = 0.52) preovulatory follicle size.. Within the first 90 days in milk (DIM), 89% of cows were in estrus, with an average of 49 days until first estrus after calving.

Conclusions

The LFI was correlated with initial milk production at 28 days, but not at 100 days. It was shown that an LFI > 0 influenced ovarian and follicular size, with larger longitudinal and transverse measurements compared to animals with LFI values lower than zero (LFI < 0). The same behavior was observed with preovulatory follicles, with 9 mm for LFI > 0 compared at 4.64 mm for LFI < 0.

Implications

The LFI is a potential tool to predict ovarian functionality in terms of the onset of postpartum ovarian activity.

Keywords: fertility problems, follicle size, liver function index, milk, ovarian function, ovulation, postpartum diet, prepartum diet.

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