Concentrate Feeding Strategy in Lactating Dairy Cows: Metabolic and Endocrine Changes with Emphasis on Leptin

This study aimed to evaluate metabolic and endocrine adaptations to energy intake in multiparous Holstein cows (n = 90; mean 9434 kg energy-corrected milk yield/305 d) over the first 20 wk postpartum and to assess the association of leptin with metabolic, endocrine, and zootechnical traits. Concentrates were fed automatically for 24 h at 30% (C30) or 50% (C50) of total dry matter intake (DMI) from wk 1 to 10 postpartum and at linearly reduced amounts thereafter. Roughage was fed for ad libitum intake. The DMI was measured over 24 h; milk yield and body weight (BW), twice/d; milk composition, 4 times/wk; and milk acetone, weekly. Blood samples for determination of metabolite, hormone, and electrolyte concentrations and enzyme activities were obtained at wk 2 prepartum, and at wk 1 to 16 and at wk 20 postpartum from 0730 to 0900. Body condition scores (BCS) and backfat thickness were measured postpartum and during wk 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20. Energy balance (EB) was considerably lower, but milk yield only slightly lower, in C30 than C50. Metabolic stress was more marked in C30 than C50, expressed by lower, glucose, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), triiodothyronine, milk protein, and lactose concentrations, higher nonesterified fatty acid, beta-hydroxybutyrate, growth hormone, and milk acetone concentrations, and an accelerated decrease in BCS and backfat thickness. Nevertheless, C30 adapted successfully and thus maintained high milk yields despite negative EB. Leptin concentrations were lower in C30 than in C50 over the first 20 wk postpartum and were positively associated with BCS, EB, BW, cholesterol, albumin, insulin, and IGF-1; negatively associated with DMI and triiodothyronine; and were higher in cows calving in spring than in fall. Leptin is one among several factors involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and may be important for overall homeostatic and homeorhetic control of metabolism and thus for maintenance of performance.