Lipid metabolite profiles and milk production for Holstein and Jersey cows fed rumen-protected choline during the periparturient period

Choline is important for assembly of very low density lipoproteins to export triglyceride from liver; however, studies to assess the effect of rumen-protected choline (RPC) supplementation on blood lipid metabolites in periparturient dairy cows have not been conducted. Thirty-two multiparous Holstein and 10 multiparous Jersey cows were randomly assigned to control or RPC treatments. A close-up diet was fed from approximately 3 wk before parturition through parturition, followed by a lactation diet from parturition through 49 d postpartum. For RPC, diets were top-dressed once daily with 60 g of a RPC product (25% choline as choline chloride) from 21 d before expected parturition through 21 d postpartum. Treatment did not affect dry matter intake either prepartum (12.0 vs. 12.1 kg/d for RPC and control, respectively) or during the first 3 wk postpartum (14.8 vs. 15.7 kg/d, respectively). Daily yields of 3.5% fat-corrected milk (39.4 vs. 37.4 kg/d), fat (1.46 vs. 1.38 kg/d), and protein (1.09 vs. 1.05 kg/d) did not differ statistically by treatment (RPC vs. control, respectively). Jersey cows in the control group had lower concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate in plasma during d 1 to 10 postpartum than did other breed and treatment combinations. Cows fed RPC tended to have greater serum triglycerides prepartum (17.0 vs. 14.7 mg/dL) and lower plasma phospholipid at parturition (65.2 vs. 78.1 mg/dL) than control cows. Treatment did not affect cholesterol and phospholipid at other time points, but concentrations followed patterns of dry matter intake pre- and postpartum. Cows were in moderate body condition score (mean = 3.3) at the start of the study and did not lose excessive condition by 3 wk postpartum (mean body condition score loss = 0.5); therefore, cows might not have been at great risk for hepatic lipid accumulation. Additionally, calculated Met balance was negative postpartum; supplemental RPC might not have spared enough Met to produce a physiological benefit. More research is needed to determine how choline affects prevention or alleviation of fatty liver syndrome and to confirm potential differences between Holstein and Jersey cows.