Blood markers of osteoclastic differentiation in periparturient dairy cows at different parities, with and without milk fever

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits osteoclast (OC) differentiation. TRAP5b (tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b) secreted by OCs reflects the numbers of mature OCs. This study assessed these OC-related markers around parturition in cows of different parities and in cows with milk fever (MF). The blood OPG and TRAP5b concentrations, as well as the ratio of OPG to TRAP5b (O/T), were measured beginning 3 weeks before (−21 d) and over a few days after calving in 49 Holstein Friesian cows at first (n = 8), second (n = 17), third (n = 12), and fourth or greater (n = 12) parities. The ratio of O/T at −21 d to O/T at calving (PreCOT) was also calculated. In the third and greater parities, seven cows developed MF (non-MF, n = 17). Regardless of the development of MF, the serum OPG started to decline in the last week of gestation only in the cows entering the second lactation, while the blood TRAP5b increased at calving in all cows. O/T decreased toward parturition only in multiparous cows. The decrease in O/T at caving was less pronounced in MF cows. PreCOT was negatively correlated with lactation number only in multiparous cows (n = 41, ρ = −0.50, P